May 17, 2026 04:43 am (IST)
Follow us:
facebook-white sharing button
twitter-white sharing button
instagram-white sharing button
youtube-white sharing button
Kathak to Garba: Indian diaspora stuns PM Modi with grand welcome in Amsterdam | ‘Geography or history’: Indian Army chief issues blunt warning to Pakistan over terror support | India, UAE ink key energy deals during Modi’s visit amid West Asia tensions | ‘There can be no better Bengal CM’: Mithun Chakraborty praises Suvendu Adhikari | PM Modi adviser Sanjeev Sanyal frontrunner for Bengal Finance Minister: Report | FIR against Abhishek Banerjee over ‘provocative speeches’ during West Bengal poll campaign | Madhya Pradesh High Court holds Bhojshala complex disputed site to be a temple | ‘Even ex-CM can be probed’: Suvendu Adhikari’s big statement on RG Kar case | Big action in RG Kar case: Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari suspends 3 IPS officers, including ex-CP Vineet Goyal | Modi’s UAE visit delivers major defence, energy deals amid Middle East tensions

IAF Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman to be conferred with Vir Chakra on I-Day

| @indiablooms | Aug 14, 2019, at 12:49 pm

New Delhi, Aug 14 (IBNS): Indian Air Force (IAF) Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who had shot down Pakistan Air Force's F-16 fighter jet in a dogfight after the Pulwama terror attack, will be conferred with Vir Chakra on the country's 73rd Independence Day on Thursday.

Vir Chakra is the country's third highest wartime military award.

After Varthaman had shot down the F-16 fighter jet, his Mig-21 Bison was hit. He was also captured by Pakistan.

After almost three days, Varthaman was handed over to India as a "peace gesture" by the neighbouring country amid international pressure.

The dogfight took place when India had countered the February 14 Pulwama terror attack, which was carried out by Pakistan-based militant organisation Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), with an airstrike.

After Varthaman had returned to India, he was shifted out of the Srinagar airbase owing to security concerns.

Support Our Journalism

We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism

IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.

Support objective journalism for a small contribution.