New Delhi: Former Indian Air Force Group Captain and Vir Chakra awardee Abhinandan Varthaman has joined Goa-headquartered regional carrier FLY91 as a commercial pilot, according to industry sources.

Sources informed PTI that Varthaman joined the regional airline as a pilot in August.

When contacted, a FLY91 representative stated that personal details regarding employees are private matters and declined to provide official comment. Additional specifics regarding his role could not be immediately confirmed.

ALSO READ: War hero Abhinandan Varthaman accorded Vir Chakra

Varthaman’s entry into commercial aviation follows a distinguished military career marked by historic aerial combat. He was decorated with the Vir Chakra, India’s third-highest wartime gallantry award, in 2021 for displaying extraordinary courage during an engagement over the Line of Control on 27 February 2019. Piloting a MiG-21 Bison against a numerically superior enemy force, he successfully brought down a Pakistani F-16 before his own aircraft was struck, forcing him to eject over enemy territory where he was held captive for three days prior to his diplomatic release.

FLY91, which launched commercial operations in March 2024, currently flies a fleet of six ATR 72-600 aircraft, operating primarily out of dual hubs in Goa and Hyderabad.

PTI