NEW DELHI: Former Indian Air Force Group Captain and Vir Chakra awardee Abhinandan Varthaman, who shot down a Pakistani F-16 during the 2019 aerial combat following the Balakot air strike, has joined private airline FLY91 as a pilot, according to sources.
Varthaman, 43, retired from the Indian Air Force in March this year and joined the airline last month, the sources said.
There were no immediate details regarding his specific role or flying responsibilities. A FLY91 spokesperson declined to comment, saying personal information concerning employees was private.
Varthaman had emerged as one of the most prominent faces of the 2019 India-Pakistan aerial confrontation after engaging Pakistani aircraft in February that year.
During the aerial combat, he is credited with shooting down a Pakistani F-16 while flying a MiG-21 Bison. His aircraft was subsequently hit, forcing him to eject over Pakistan-occupied territory, where he was captured and held for three days before being released.
He was later awarded the Vir Chakra, India’s third-highest wartime gallantry award, in 2021 for what the citation described as an exceptional sense of duty during the engagement.
At the time of the 2019 incident, Varthaman was a Wing Commander. He was subsequently promoted to the rank of Group Captain.
FLY91 began commercial operations in March 2024 and currently operates a fleet of six ATR 72-600 aircraft, with bases in Goa and Hyderabad.
