Balakot Air Strike Hero Abhinandan Promoted; Know His New Rank

New Delhi: Balakot air strike hero Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman has been promoted to the rank of Group Captain.

According to an ANI report, the Vir Chakra winner’s promotion has been cleared by the IAF and he would be taking up his new role shortly.

Group Captain is equivalent to a Colonel in the Indian Army.

A day after India launched an aerial strike on Pakistan’s terrorist facilities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa area run by Jaish-e-Mohammed, Abhinandan was involved in a dog fight with Pakistan’s F-16 combat aircraft on February 27, 2019.

The enemy shot down Abhinandan’s MiG-21 fighter aircraft after he took down the F-16, but he landed in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and was taken into custody by Pakistan Army.

Also Read: ‘Abhinandan Was Choked & Beaten Up By Pak Captors But Didn’t Break’

Following extensive pressure by the Indian government and international intervention in the matter, the Pakistan Army released the 38-year-old Abhinandan – who was part of Srinagar-based 51 Squadron — after holding him captive for 60 hours.

Abhinandan was part of Srinagar-based 51 Squadron and had flown to thwart an aerial attack launched by the Pakistanis on February 27, 2019.