NEW DELHI: IAF Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman who gained fame for shooting down a Pakistan Air Force’s F-16 in a dog fight in 2019 has been approved for the rank of Group Captain.
Confirming the development an Air force officer said, “Yes, Wing Commander Varthaman has been approved for the next rank as per merit and he might soon get posted to his new position.”
Group Captain is equivalent to a Colonel in the Indian Army. The other way to become a group captain is the time scale which is after completing 26 years of active service.
“As Varthaman is an active flier, it is most likely that he will be commanding a Combat Squadron,” said another officer.
In general, the selection of Group Captains from Wing Commanders is completed around March and around three batches are considered after completing approximately 16-17 years of service for the flying branch, added the second officer.
Wing Commander Varthaman gained fame when he shot down a comparatively advance F-16 fighter piloting his legacy fighter MiG 21 Bison on February 27, 2019 when Pakistan Air Force fighters tried to enter Indian Air Space to retaliate for an Indian strike on Jaish e Mohammed (JeM) Camps in Balakot area of Pakistan on February 26, 2019.
Indian Air Force strike on JeM Camps was in retaliation to the 14 February, 2019 suicide attack on a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) convoy in which 40 personnel lost their lives.
During the dogfight of February 27 while Wg Cdr Varthaman shot the PAF fighter his aircraft was also hit and he had to eject on the other side of the Line of Control. Varthaman was taken under custody by the Pakistan Army. Pakistan returned him back on March 1, after holding him for around 3 days.
The President awarded Wing Commander Varthaman Vir Chakra, the third highest Gallantry Award, on the occasion of Independence Day, 2019.