Top Military Honour For Wg Cdr Abhinandan Varthaman, Likely To Receive Vir Chakra
Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman was shot down during the Balakot airstrike. He was captured by Pakistan but was soon returned to our country and hailed as a hero. His moustache became a rage and men around the country started sporting it. Now the Wing Commander is likely to be awarded the top military honour Vir Chakra for his tremendous courage and valour.
There is no person in the country who does not know the name of Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman.
During the Balakot airstrike, Varthaman's MiG 21 was shot down after he brought down one Pakistani F-16 fighter during a dogfight to repel the attack. He was captured by Pakistan. But he was soon returned to our country and hailed as a hero.
"We are happy that our pilot who had fallen across the Line of Control and was in the custody of Pakistan is being released. We are extremely happy to have him back. We only see it as a gesture which is in consonance with the Geneva Conventions," Air Vice Marshal R G K Kapoor, the assistant chief of Air Staff, had told a news conference.
His moustache became a rage and men around the country started sporting it.
Not only that, the mobile game that IAF recently released has one of its protagonists look like Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman with his signature handlebar mustache.
He has become a household name and there will not be a time in the future when Balakot airstrike is mentioned and his name does not come up.
Now, the Wing Commander is likely to be awarded the top military honour, Vir Chakra, for his tremendous courage and valour.
While Varthaman will be awarded a Vir Chakra, five Mirage 2000 fighters will reportedly be receiving Vayu Sena Medal for gallantry.
Vir Chakra is India's third highest wartime gallantry award and it is likely that the award will be announced on Independence day.
Abhinandan's story gained so much attention, it was proposed that his story be taught in textbooks in Rajasthan. The proposal came from the state¡¯s education minister Govind Singh Dotasra who tweeted, ¡®Abhinandan¡¯s story of bravery will be introduced in the school syllabus of Rajasthan in a bid to honour him.¡¯ He also wrote a similar post on Facebook using the #AbhinandanDiwas.
But Dotasra did not mention the classes for which the textbooks will be published.
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¡ª Govind Singh Dotasra (@GovindDotasra) March 4, 2019
Earlier, the minister also proposed to add stories of jawans who were martyred in the Pulwama attack in the syllabus, and it was even accepted by the syllabus review committee.
Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman receiving the Vir Chakra is an act long due because the way he handled himself in front of the Pakistani army was commendable. Many brands immediately banked on the popularity of the Wing commander and marketed products accordingly.