Balakot hero IAF Group Captain Abhinandan Varthaman awarded Vir Chakra

Indian Air Force ace pilot Group Captain Abhinandan Varthaman was conferred the Vir Chakra by President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday at an investiture ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on November 22. Abhinandan Varthaman was recently promoted to the rank of Group Captain. Vir Chakra is India’s third highest wartime gallantry award after Param Vir Chakra and Maha Vir Chakra. The Vir Chakra to Abhinandan had been announced in August 2019 but has been awarded by the President now in the presence of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

Group Captain Abhinandan Varthaman, shot down a Pakistani F-16 jet during a dogfight over the Line of Control (LoC) on February 27, 2019, Varthaman’s MiG-21 was also hit during the combat and he had to eject over territory controlled by Pakistan.He was then taken into custody by the Pakistan Army. Pakistan was forced to release him under extensive pressure from India. Abhinandan was part of the Srinagar-based 51 squadron and had flown to thwart an aerial attack launched by the Pakistanis.