Indian Air Force Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman on Monday flew a MiG-21 Type 69 trainer aircraft along with Air Chief Marshal Birendra Singh Dhanoa from Pathankot city from where the force had carried out the Balakot operation inside Pakistan in February. Expressing pleasure to fly with Abhinandan, Air Force Chief Dhanoa said: "I also ejected in 1988, it took me nine months to get my category back. He (Abhinandan) was back in less than six months".
"Both of us have two things in common - first, both of us ejected and second, both of us have fought Pakistanis. I fought in Kargil, and he fought after Balakot. Third, I have flown with his father. It's an honour for me to do my last sortie in the IAF, in a fighter aircraft, with his son," Air Chief Dhanoa stated after the 30 minutes sortie.
#WATCH IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa flew a sortie with Wg Cdr Abhinandan Varthaman at Air Force Station Pathankot today in a MiG-21 trainer. It's the last sortie flown by IAF Chief in a fighter aircraft before retirement.They took off around 1130 hrs for a 30 min sortie. pic.twitter.com/retSoI3EVl
— ANI (@ANI) September 2, 2019
Abhinandan recently received the Vir Chakra- the third highest gallantry award- for his role in thwarting the Pakistani counterattack in retaliation for the Balakot airstrike in which the Indian Air Force allegedly destroyed terrorist infrastructure in Balakot inside Pakistan.
#WATCH Pathankot: IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa and Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman moving towards the MiG-21 before their sortie earlier today. #Punjab pic.twitter.com/Rz9KJVJVWi
— ANI (@ANI) September 2, 2019
The 36-year-old IAF pilot was captured by the Pakistani Army as his MiG-21 Bison jet fell inside Pakistan administered Kashmir after being shot down by a Pakistani fighter jet during aerial combat.
Pakistan released him in a peace gesture after three days of the capture. He was taken off flying duty due to his injuries.
This was the last fighter jet sortie flown by Air Chief Marshal Dhanoa, a Kargil veteran, who is set to retire on 30 September.
