Abhinandan was born on June 21, 1983, in Tamil Nadu’s Chennai, to a Jain community with origins in Thirupanamoor, Kanchipuram.
Military was in his genes, with his father having retired as an Air Marshal from the IAF, and his mother a doctor, he naturally grew up into following into the family’s service traditions.
He had attended the Sainik School, before completing his further training at the prestigious National Defence Academy.
Varthaman was commissioned into the Indian Air Force’s combat branch as a flying officer in June 2004.
From there, the fighter pilot had been steadily promoted – flight lieutenant in 2006, squadron leader in 2010 – becoming known for his flying prowess long before his name became household fodder.
By 2019, he was flying the august, historically significant Indian Air Force combat aircraft, the MiG-21 Bison.
The Aerial Fight of 2019 The day that altered everything – from Wing Commander Varthaman, and the relations between India and Pakistan – was February 27, 2019.
After Indian Air Force Mirage 2000s had targeted terror camps in Balakot, Pakistan, the Pakistan Air Force responded with fighter jets intruding in the Indian air space.
Among the air-force persons, fighters who sped out to tackle the intruder was Wing Commander Varthaman, whose MiG-21 was hit down in Pakistani jurisdiction over the LoC in an exchange of fire with a Pakistani F-16 aircraft.
His crash after ejection came down about seven kilometres from the Line of Control after he was mobbed and was in immediate threat from the inflamed civilians.
His crash landed him about seven kms from the Line of Control after being mobbed and was under threat by the riled civilians.
The then reports had indicated that he fired a couple of shots to save himself from being mobbed while he reportedly burnt down some secret papers, to ensure they didn’t fall into wrong hands and was arrested by the Pakistan army.
His capture fuelled a diplomatic row between the two nations, who already possess nuclear weapons and raised the tensions on the brink.
International visual, of Varthaman under custody, and later, under some control also garnered a lot of attention from the world media.
A hero's welcome In Pakistan handed over Varthaman, the Pakistani foreign ministry had announced release of the pilot on March 1 as a "gesture of peace to deescalate the situation".
He was later handed over to the Indian authorities across the Wagah border, near Lahore. Varthaman, who walked across the border from Pakistan to India under lights in the presence of hundreds of Indian officials and people who had assembled to greet him, became one of the top most talked events in 2019.
PM Narendra Modi praised the IAF pilot's act of bravery, stating that he had become an inspiration for the youth and other citizens of the country.
The Wing Commander was then presented with the Vir Chakra, the third highest gallantry in wartime award that India has, by Former President Ram Nath Kovind in an investiture ceremony held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan .
