Former Indian Air Force Group Captain and Vir Chakra awardee Abhinandan Varthaman has begun the next stage in his aviation career after leaving Indian Air Force and joining Goa-based regional airline FLY91 as a pilot.
The change of course is a big one for the fighter pilot who became known in the world after the aerial battle between India and Pakistan in 2019.
According to reports, Varthaman retired from the IAF on 31 March 2026 after a distinguished military career of more than two decades.
He joined FLY91 as a pilot in August. The airline operates regional services using ATR 72-600 aircraft.
Abhinandan Varthaman's 2019 Mission
Varthaman rose to global prominence following the aerial engagement between Indian and Pakistani fighter aircraft on February 27, 2019, days after Indian Mirage-2000 jets carried out strikes at a Jaish-e-Mohammed-linked site in Balakot following the Pulwama terror attack.
During the aerial battle, Varthaman was flying a MiG-21 Bison. Indian accounts said he shot down a Pakistani F-16 before his own aircraft was attacked.
He had to eject and landed in Pakistani territory where he was taken into custody.
Varthaman remained in Pakistani custody for about three days before returning to India on March 1, 2019.
His calmness during the episode made him one of the most recognizable figures of the tense military conflict between the two neighbouring countries.
Honoured With the Vir Chakra
His actions during the aerial engagement earned him the Vir Chakra, India's third highest wartime gallantry award.
The award citation acknowledged his conduct and sense of duty during the operation. He was Wing Commander at the time of the 2019 encounter, later promoted to Group Captain.
The 2019 episode was key to his military career and his career in the IAF continued for a few years before he retired this year.
A New Role in Civil Aviation
Varthaman’s decision to move into commercial aviation brings a different kind of flying challenge. He will be part of India’s growing civilian aviation sector now, not just flying fighter aircraft during military missions.
There are reports that in August he joined the airline FLY91, a regional airline in Goa. The airline started operations in 2024 and operates ATR 72-600 aircraft with bases in Goa and Hyderabad. Details about Varthaman’s specific flying duties have not been revealed. FLY91 has also considered employee-related information a private matter.
The transition illustrates just how well-experienced military aviators can bring years of discipline, technical training and cockpit experience to civilian aviation.
Abhinandan Varthaman’s move is a new beginning and it’s not an end to his career in aviation for him. From being in a MiG-21 Bison cockpit to commercial passenger aircraft, a remarkable journey from military and civilian flying.
His name is still attached to the dramatic events of 2019 but his new career direction has him flying civilian passengers and starting up a new phase in India's commercial aviation industry.
