Former Group Captain Abhinandan Varthaman of the Indian Air Force has now started a new chapter in his professional life. The brave pilot, who showed his bravery during the air war with Pakistan in 2019, will now fly a civilian aircraft instead of a fighter jet. According to reports, Group Captain Abhinandan Varthaman has joined the Goa-based regional airline ‘FLY91’ as a pilot in August last year. However, the airline authorities have not given any official explanation regarding this appointment. An airline spokesperson said that the personal information of the employees is their confidential matter and no comment can be made on it.
During the 2019 air-to-ground skirmish between India and Pakistan, Abhinandan Varthaman, who was a Wing Commander, shot down a Pakistani F-16 fighter jet in his MiG-21 Bison jet. In the process, his own aircraft was also damaged and crashed in Pakistani territory. After being captured by the Pakistani army there, Pakistan safely handed him over to India after India’s strong diplomatic pressure and international intervention.
He was awarded the country’s third highest wartime gallantry award ‘Vir Chakra’ in 2021 for his extraordinary devotion to duty, courage and valor for the country. This regional airline started its flight services in March 2024. Currently, the company has six ATR 72-600 aircraft. The airline has two main bases in Goa and Hyderabad. This brave pilot, who has made the roar of fighter jets in the skies of the country, is now going to start a new journey of safely transporting ordinary passengers of the country to regional destinations.
