The next time you are on a commercial flight, pay attention to the announcement introducing the pilots. You might find a former fighter pilot in the cockpit who made headlines during the Balakot airstrikes. Group Captain Abhinandan Varthaman, a Vir Chakra awardee, has retired from the Indian Air Force and joined Goa-based regional airline FLY91 as a pilot at the age of 43.
Background
A Group Captain can serve in the IAF until the age of 54, but Varthaman's reasons for premature retirement remain undisclosed. Known for his low profile, he gained fame after shooting down an enemy jet during aerial combat with Pakistan on February 27, 2019, following the Balakot airstrikes that targeted terror camps in Pakistan in retaliation for the Pulwama attack.
During this encounter, Varthaman shot down a Pakistani F-16 fighter jet before his own MiG-21 Bison was hit by enemy fire. After ejecting, he landed in Pakistani territory and was captured, but was later released in a globally watched diplomatic move. He was awarded the Vir Chakra in 2021 for his bravery.
