Gp Capt Abhinandan Varthaman retires from IAF, joins FLY91 as pilot seven years after 2019 aerial clash
Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman during his service with the Indian Air Force. Image courtesy: Wikimedia Commons
New Delhi: Group Captain Abhinandan Varthaman (retired), a former Indian Air Force fighter pilot and Vir Chakra awardee who became widely known after the February 2019 aerial engagement between India and Pakistan, has moved into civilian aviation. After leaving military service, he has now joined the Goa-based regional airline FLY91 as a commercial pilot.
Varthaman left the Indian Air Force (IAF) on March 31 and joined FLY91 in August, according to reports citing officials and people familiar with the development. PTI reported that he had joined the airline as a pilot, while FLY91 declined to provide further details about his role, saying personal information concerning employees was a private matter.
India Today also reported that there were no immediate details about Varthaman’s flying responsibilities. FLY91, which began commercial operations in March 2024, currently operates six ATR 72-600 aircraft and has bases in Goa and Hyderabad.
Who is Wg Cdr Abhinandan Abhinandan Varthaman?
Wg Cdr Abhinandan Varthaman was commissioned into the IAF’s fighter stream in June 2004 and was serving with the Srinagar based No. 51 Squadron at the time of the February 2019 India-Pakistan aerial engagement.
On February 27, 2019, a day after the IAF carried out air strikes at Balakot in Pakistan, Pakistan air force aircraft crossed the Line of Control. According to the IAF, the Pakistani aircraft attempted to strike Indian military targets, prompting Indian fighters to scramble in response.
Varthaman, who was a wing commander then, was flying a MiG-21 Bison during the engagement. According to his official Vir Chakra citation, he pursued a retreating Pakistani fighter and shot down an F-16 using an air-to-air missile. His MiG-21 Bison was subsequently hit, forcing him to eject over PoK, where he was captured by Pakistani forces.
The F-16 claim has remained disputed. The IAF maintained that Varthaman had shot down a Pakistani F-16, while Pakistan denied losing one.
Varthaman remained in Pakistani custody until March 1, 2019, when he was handed back to India at the Wagah-Attari border.
He suffered injuries during the ejection but returned to fighter flying later that year after being medically cleared. In September 2019, he flew a MiG-21 sortie from Pathankot with the-then chief of the air staff, Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa.
Vir Chakra and promotion to group captain
Varthaman’s Vir Chakra was announced in August 2019 and conferred on him by the-then president, Ram Nath Kovind, at an investiture ceremony on November 22, 2021.
The official citation credited him with displaying “conspicuous courage” during the February 2019 engagement. The Vir Chakra is India’s third highest wartime gallantry award after the Param Vir Chakra and Maha Vir Chakra.
Varthaman, who was a wing commander during the 2019 engagement, was promoted to the rank of group captain and assumed the rank in November 2021.
