Group Captain and Vir Chakra awardee Abhinandan Varthaman, who shot down a Pakistani F-16 during a dogfight with Pakistan in February 2019, has joined Goa-based airline as a commercial pilot.
Varthaman joined the private airline FLY91 in August, news agency PTI reported. FLY91 has two bases — in Goa and Hyderabad.
What happened in 2019?
Varthaman was a Wing Commander with the Srinagar-based 51 Squadron when Pakistani fighter jets attempted an aerial attack along the Line of Control (LoC) on February 27, 2019, a day after India’s Balakot air strikes.
He flew a MiG-21 Bison to intercept the Pakistani aircraft and, according to his Vir Chakra citation, shot down an F-16 during the aerial combat. His own aircraft was then hit, forcing him to eject over Pakistani-controlled territory.
He was awarded the Vir Chakra in 2021 for displaying an “exceptional sense of duty” during the aerial engagement.
