IAF Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman to be conferred VirChakra on Independence Day

Indian Air Force (IAF) Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman,who was captured by Pakistan for almost 60 hours after Balakot airstrike inFebruary, will be conferred with Vir Chakra on the 73rd Independence Day,reported news agency .IAF Squadron Leader Minty Agarwal will be honoured withYudh Seva Medal for her role as a fighter controller during the February 27aerial conflict between India and Pakistan.

Both Abhinandan Varthaman and Minty Agarwal had displayedexemplary bravery during the aerial conflict that occured after India carriedout the Balakot airstrike to avenge attack on CRPF personnel in Pulwama.As partof the gallantry honours, Indian Army’s Sapper Prakash Jadhav of 1 RashtriyaRifles (Mahar) will be conferred Kirti Chakra (posthumously), for his gallantrole in an operation in Jammu and Kashmir. Besides, eight Army personnel willalso be conferred Shaurya Chakra, five of them posthumously.

The Indian Air Force had earlier lauded Wing CommanderAbhinandan Varthaman as a MiG-21 Bison piloted by him shot down a Pakistan AirForce F-16 fighter aircraft during aerial combat in the aftermath of Pulwamaattack.Taking to social media, the IAF shared a poem by Bipin Allahabadi inHindi which said "not everybody could do what Abhinandan did".TheMinistry of External Affairs had then confirmed that there are eyewitnessaccounts as well as electronic evidence of the IAF's MiG-21 Bison shooting downPakistan's F-16 fighter jet during the dogfight.

A fleet of Pakistani fighter jets had unsuccessfullytargeted various military installations in Jammu and Kashmir on February 27, aday after India carried out air strikes on a terrorist training camp deepinside Pakistan's Balakot.The IAF foiled the Pakistani retaliation, and in thedogfight, Varthaman downed an F-16 fighter jet of the Pakistan Air Force,showing grit, determination and bravery.Soon after he brought down the F-16,Varthaman was captured by the Pakistani Army as his MiG-21 Bison jet was hit.Varthaman was released on the night of March 1 by Pakistan.