Abhinandan Varthaman’s second innings in the skies: From fighter pilot to commercial pilot

Over seven years ago, Indian Air Force’s Group Captain Abhinandan Varthaman hogged national headlines after his MiG-21 fighter jet was shot down over Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) during an aerial combat with a Pakistan Air Force aircraft, leading to his capture. His return to India two days later came amid heightened tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

Mr. Varthaman, who downed an enemy jet during the aerial combat with Pakistan and was held captive for three days in that country, was awarded the Vir Chakra, India’s third-highest wartime gallantry award, for displaying conspicuous courage, an exceptional sense of duty and gallantry in the face of the enemy. Now, the decorated fighter pilot is set for a new chapter in the skies as a commercial pilot. Mr. Varthaman has joined regional airline FLY91, as per a PTI report.

From combat missions in a MiG-21 to the cockpit of a commercial airliner, Mr. Varthaman’s transition marks a new innings.

When Abhinandan Varthaman was held captive by Pakistan army

The entire saga started after Pakistan Air Force planes dropped four bombs across Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), a day after New Delhi had conducted counter-terror operations in Pakistan’s Balakot on February 26, 2019. Countering those, the Indian fighter jets engaged in a dog fight with the Pakistan fighter jets.

On February 27 that year, the then Wing Commander, Abhinandan Varthaman, and members of his Operational Ready Platform MiG-21 Bison squadron were chosen for the role.

Also Read : Return of a hero

Varthaman started to chase the Pakistani jets and push them back, when he had to eject over the LoC after the MiG-21 he was flying was shot by a Pakistani plane and then landed in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, where he was taken into custody.

The Indian Government stated that IAF jets shot down an F-16 jet of the PAF in the combat, and the wreckage had fallen on the Pakistan side. Pakistan’s military, however, denied the loss of any aircraft.

Abhinandan’s release

Abhinandan Varthaman as he is released by Pakistan authorities at Wagah border on the Pakistani side.
| Photo Credit:
PTI

Soon after Abhinandan was taken into custody, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) registered a protest with the Pakistan Acting High Commissioner Syed Haider Shah. The MEA also handed over a dossier to Mr. Shah, containing specific details of JeM complicity in the Pulwama Terror Attack.

Two days later, Pakistan released Indian Air Force fighter pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman on March 1, 2019. Mr. Varthaman’s was taken from Islamabad to Wagah by the Pakistani authorities and handed over to Indian High Commission officials after completing the formalities. From there, he was taken by road to Amritsar by the IAF and flown to Delhi in an IAF aircraft.

Following this, Mr. Varthaman underwent a medical check-up at a hospital in New Delhi, and later underwent several debriefings by security officials.

Conferred with Vir Chakra

President Ram Nath Kovind presents Vir Chakra to Wing Commander Varthaman Abhinandan at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi. File photo
| Photo Credit:
PTI

On November 22, 2021, Abhinandan Varthaman was conferred with Vir Chakra by President Ram Nath Kovind in a defence investiture ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhawan, attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, among others.

The citation mentioned that Wing Commander Varthaman, displaying exceptional air combat acumen and knowledge of the enemy’s tactics, scanned the low-altitude airspace with his Airborne Intercept (AI) radar and picked up an enemy aircraft that was flying low to ambush the Indian fighter-interceptor aircraft. He alerted the other formation pilots about the “surprise threat” and then consolidated the riposte against the hostile aircraft that were attempting to drop weapons on the Indian Army positions.