Fighter pilot Abhinandan, who downed Pak jet, retires from IAF, joins Goa airline

Former IAF Group Captain Abhinandan Varthaman has joined Goa-based airline FLY91 as a pilot, sources said. The move follows the Vir Chakra awardee's retirement in March after his widely noted 2019 aerial combat role.Abhinandan Varthaman was captured retaliatory air operation post-Balakot airstrikesFormer Indian Air Force Group Captain and Vir Chakra awardee Abhinandan Varthaman, who shot down a Pakistani F-16 fighter jet during the 2019 Balakot air strike and was subsequently held captive for three days, has joined a Goa-based airline as a pilot, according to sources.The sources said the 43-year-old fighter pilot, who retired from the IAF in March this year, joined FLY91 last month.There were, however, no immediate details about his role or flying responsibilities. A FLY91 spokesperson said personal information about employees was a private matter and declined to comment.Abhinandan shot down the Pakistani F-16 during an aerial combat in February 2019, before his MiG-21 Bison was also hit. As a result, he was forced to eject over Pakistan-occupied territory and was captured by Pakistani forces and held captive for three days.Varthaman, who is credited with being the only Mig-21 pilot ever to have shot down an F-16, was awarded the Vir Chakra, India's third-highest wartime gallantry award, in 2021 for displaying an "exceptional sense of duty" during the aerial combat. The award citation praised his actions during the dogfight, in which he engaged Pakistani aircraft despite being confronted by a numerically superior force.While he was a Wing Commander at the time of the strike, the IAF promoted Varthaman to the rank of Group Captain.FLY91 began commercial operations in March 2024 and currently operates a fleet of six ATR 72-600 aircraft. The airline has bases in Goa and Hyderabad.- Ends(Inputs from PTI)Published By: Karishma Saurabh KalitaPublished On: Sep 3, 2026 08:54 IST