# IAF holds Sekhon Marathon across India to honour 1971 war hero

2026-10-04T10:56:56+00:00 | India | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 2 independent outlets

The Indian Air Force held the second edition of the Sekhon Indian Air Force Marathon on Sunday, 4 October 2026, in multiple cities across the country to commemorate Param Vir Chakra awardee Flight Lieutenant Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon, who died in the 1971 war. The event was held in New Delhi, Chandigarh, Guwahati, Jodhpur, and Thiruvananthapuram, among other locations. In New Delhi, Air Force Chief A.P. Singh inaugurated the marathon at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium and participated in it. In Thiruvananthapuram, Air Marshal Jasvir Singh Mann and sportspersons Sangram Singh and Padmini Thomas flagged off the 10 km run. The event featured 21 km, 10 km, and 5 km categories. The Shillong Times reports that Sekhon is the only Air Force officer to have received the Param Vir Chakra. Hindustan Times reports that the inaugural edition in 2025 saw over 39,000 participants across 46 locations and earned a Limca Book of Records entry. The marathon seeks to strengthen ties between the IAF and the community.

## Indian Opinion Analysis

Both outlets offer straight reporting on the same event, the second Sekhon Indian Air Force Marathon. The Shillong Times focuses on the nationwide scope and the heroics of Sekhon in the 1971 war, while Hindustan Times covers the Keralam edition in Thiruvananthapuram, quoting a defence statement and naming local dignitaries. Neither outlet adopts a critical or political frame. The coverage is uniform, with each outlet highlighting the element of the event most relevant to its regional readership. The next edition will aim to build on the 2025 participation of 39,000 runners.

## Coverage

Coverage: 2 sources, 2 neutral
- theshillongtimes.com (neutral report) <https://theshillongtimes.com/2026/10/04/nation-pays-tribute-to-valour-sacrifice-of-1971-war-hero-pvc-awardee-nirmaljit-singh-sekhon/>
  Straightforward report on marathon events and Sekhon's war record
- hindustantimes.com (neutral report) <https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/keralam-edition-of-iaf-s-outreach-event-sim-2026-held-in-thiruvananthapuram-101791106500813.html>
  Factual coverage of Thiruvananthapuram edition with defence statement

This brief was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above, so one read covers every framing they carry.

Tags: 1971 War, A.P. Singh, Indian Air Force, Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon, Param Vir Chakra, Thiruvananthapuram
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How this brief was made: an AI model read the reports linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. Stance labels are editorial classifications of how each outlet framed this story, assigned by the same model, not ratings of the outlets. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/