According to local media, Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot Abhinandan Varthaman was awarded India’s third-highest gallantry medal on Monday. He was detained by Pakistan in 2019 after his MiG 21 Bison aircraft was shot down by a Pakistan Air Force (PAF) jet and later returned to India.
Abhinandan got the Vir Chakra, India’s third-highest wartime heroism award, after the Param Vir Chakra and Maha Chakra, at an investiture ceremony in the capital, according to The Indian Express. The ceremony was also attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
Abhinandan, who was just promoted from wing commander to group captain, received the medal for “exhibiting conspicuous courage” in shooting down a Pakistani F-16 fighter jet in February 2019 – a claim denied by the Pakistani military, independent observers, and the international media.
The citation for the medal, according to The Indian Express, stated: “Wing Commander Abhinandan displayed great courage, showing heroism in the face of the enemy while neglecting personal safety, and displayed an exceptional sense of duty.”
In response to this, PPP Vice President Sherry Rehman posted on Twitter, “Is this for real? Award for drinking tea in Pakistani custody? #paralleluniverse”
Focal Person to the Prime Minister on Digital Media Arslan Khalid posted on Twitter and said, “Actually, I feel for Abhinandan. Just because of @narendramodi and Indian media denial of the defeat and embarrassment they had back then, poor Abhinandan is reminded of the episode every second month.”
The officer was commissioned as a fighter pilot in 2004 and is the son of a decorated former pilot.
On February 27, 2019, Abhinandan was apprehended after his plane was shot down by the Pakistan Air Force for violating Pakistani airspace.
He was first caught by villagers in Azad Kashmir before being arrested by Pakistani soldiers. Army soldiers and commanders were shown acting aggressively to save him from a crowd of enraged residents in videos of his capture.
The officer was famously shown speaking with military authorities in a friendly environment and recognizing that he had been treated well in a video released by the ISPR.
Abhinandan acknowledged in the video and said, “I’d like to put this on record; I will not change my statement even when I go back to my country. The officers of the Pakistan Army have looked after me very well.”
On March 1, 2019, he was handed over to India as a goodwill gesture at the Wagah border.
