New Delhi: Indian Air Force Group Captain Abhinadnan Varthaman received the peacetime gallantry Vir Chakra award today. The award was presented by President Ramnath Kovind during Defence Investiture Ceremony held in Rashtrapati Bhavan today.
Abhinandan received the award for shooting down a Pakistani F-16 fighter aircraft in aerial combat on February 27, 2019 during the Balakot airstrike.
Other award recipients at the ceremony were Major Vibhuti Dhaundhiyal who was awarded Shaurya Chakra posthumously, Nayab Subedar Somveer received Shaurya Chakra (posthumous), Sapper Prakash Jadhav was awarded Kirti Chakra (posthumously).
During the Balakot air strike that happened in February 2019, then Indian Air Force wing commander Abhinanadan Varthaman had flown over the Pakistan Occupied Kashmir where his MiG-21 was hit.
He had to eject over the enemy controlled territory. Varthaman was taken in custody by the Pakistan Army after that. He had to spend three days in custody there. Later the Pakistani Army had to bow down to the pressure by India along with international intervention and Varthaman was released.
Following the Pulwama attack in February 2019, India had launched a surgical strike in Pakistan. On February 26, 2019, the Indian Air Force crossed the Line of Control and dropped bombs in the Balakot region of Pakistan. It was claimed that the Indian Air Force had bombed the terror camps of Jaish e Mohammed.
On February 14, 2019, 40 personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were killed in the Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir. An explosives laden car had hit the convoy of vehicles in which the CRPF personnel were present. Terrorist group Jaish e Mohammed had claimed responsibility for the attack.