From MiG-21 to ATR, ex-group captain Abhinandan prepares to fly passengers

From the roar of a MiG-21 Bison in a combat mission to the measured routine of a passenger aircraft cockpit, former Group Captain Abhinandan Varthaman is preparing for a dramatically different second innings in the skies.

The decorated Indian Air Force fighter pilot has joined regional airline FLY91 as a commercial pilot and is currently undergoing training on the Goa-Hyderabad route, according to the airline.

Once he completes the required training and regulatory clearances, Varthaman is expected to fly an ATR aircraft for the carrier.

FLY91, when contacted by The Pioneer, confirmed Varthaman’s association with the airline but declined to provide further details about his training or his future flying schedule. Asked when the former fighter pilot is likely to begin commercial operations and which sectors he may eventually operate, the airline said Varthaman did not wish to share further details about his professional or personal journey. That reticence is in keeping with the low-profile approach he has largely maintained since becoming one of India’s most recognisable military figures.

Varthaman’s name became etched in the national consciousness following the India-Pakistan aerial engagement on February 27, 2019. Flying a MiG-21 Bison, he was involved in the aerial engagement in which his aircraft was shot down. He ejected and landed in Pakistani territory, where he was captured by Pakistani forces.

The images and footage surrounding his capture and subsequent release, coupled with his composure during the episode, turned the fighter pilot into a national figure almost overnight. He was later awarded the Vir Chakra, one of India’s wartime gallantry awards.

Seven years on, Varthaman is preparing to return to the cockpit - this time not for a combat sortie, but to fly passengers.

The change in aircraft and mission could hardly be more striking. The MiG-21 Bison was a supersonic fighter aircraft designed for combat. The ATR, by contrast, is a turboprop airliner designed to connect cities and communities, particularly on short-haul regional routes.

For Varthaman, however, the fundamental demands of aviation remain familiar: discipline, precision, situational awareness, adherence to procedures and the ability to make critical decisions under pressure.

Commercial aviation operates within a very different framework from military flying. A fighter pilot is trained for combat, tactical decision-making and high-risk missions. An airline pilot operates within a highly structured environment where safety procedures, cockpit coordination, communication and consistency are paramount.

Varthaman’s transition will therefore require him to adapt his extensive military flying experience to the systems and procedures of civilian aviation.

His training with FLY91 is understood to be part of that process before he takes up duties as an airline pilot.

For India’s aviation industry, his move is also notable for another reason. A pilot who became known across the country for flying a fighter aircraft in one of the most tense aerial confrontations between India and Pakistan is now preparing to fly ordinary Indians between regional destinations.

Varthaman’s new employer, FLY91, is a regional carrier that aims to strengthen air connectivity between India’s tier-2 and tier-3 towns.

Founded by aviation industry veterans and backed by professional investors, the airline has positioned itself around the idea of making air travel more accessible beyond the country’s major metropolitan centres.

That regional focus makes the ATR an important part of its operations, with the aircraft suited to short-haul routes and connectivity between smaller cities.

Varthaman’s arrival comes as India’s civil aviation sector continues to expand beyond the traditional metro-to-metro network, with regional connectivity emerging as an increasingly important part of the country’s aviation story.

Born in Chennai on June 21, 1983, Varthaman was educated at Sainik School, Amaravathinagar, before graduating from the National Defence Academy. He was commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force in June 2004.

During his military career, he flew the Su-30MKI before being assigned to a squadron operating the MiG-21 Bison. He rose through the ranks, serving as a Flying Officer, Flight Lieutenant, Squadron Leader and Wing Commander before being promoted to Group Captain in December 2021.

The February 2019 aerial engagement, however, transformed him from a serving fighter pilot into a household name. His moustached profile, calm demeanour and the circumstances surrounding his capture and return became defining images of one of the most closely watched episodes in recent India-Pakistan relations.

Now, the next chapter of his flying career is set to unfold far away from the fighter squadron. The MiG-21 represented India’s combat aviation heritage and Varthaman’s years as a fighter pilot. The ATR represents another side of aviation - one centred not on interception or combat, but on connectivity.

His future passengers may be travelling for work, education, business, family or simply to reach another Indian city more quickly.

The man who once flew into a contested sky is now preparing to fly across a very different one. The exact date of Varthaman’s first commercial flight, and the sectors he will eventually operate, remain undisclosed at his request.

But one thing is clear: after a career defined by fighter jets, combat training and one extraordinary chapter in India’s military history, Abhinandan Varthaman is preparing to fly again - this time with civilians in the cabin and connectivity, rather than combat, as the mission.

From MiG-21 to ATR, the cockpit remains - but the mission has changed.