New Delhi, September 3: Former Indian Air Force Group Captain and Vir Chakra awardee Abhinandan Varthaman, who shot down a Pakistani F-16 during the 2019 Balakot air strike before being captured and held for three days, has joined a private airline as a pilot, according to sources cited by India Today.
The 43-year-old fighter pilot retired from the IAF in March this year and joined FLY91 last month, the sources said. There are, however, no immediate details about his role or flying responsibilities. A FLY91 spokesperson declined to comment, saying personal information about employees was a private matter.
Abhinandan shot down the Pakistani F-16 during an aerial combat in February 2019, but his MiG-21 Bison was also hit during the engagement. He was forced to eject over Pakistan-occupied territory and was subsequently captured by Pakistani forces and held for three days.
Varthaman, credited with being the only MiG-21 pilot to have shot down an F-16, was awarded the Vir Chakra, India’s third-highest wartime gallantry award, in 2021 for displaying an “exceptional sense of duty” during the aerial combat.
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