From Fighter Pilot to Commercial Pilot - Abhinandan Begins New Career

Former Indian Air Force Group Captain Abhinandan Varthaman, who displayed exceptional courage during the 2019 India-Pakistan aerial engagement and was credited by India with shooting down a Pakistani F-16 fighter jet, has now become a commercial pilot. After taking premature retirement from the IAF, Varthaman joined Goa-based private airline Fly91 as a commercial pilot in August this year, according to a PTI report.

The development comes years after the high-profile aerial encounter that followed India’s Balakot air strikes in February 2019. Varthaman was captured in Pakistan after his MiG-21 was shot down during the engagement and was subsequently released amid international diplomatic pressure. He has now transitioned from military aviation to commercial flying, bringing years of experience as a fighter pilot into the civilian aviation sector.