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Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, the IAF pilot who became the face of a tense military confrontation between India and Pakistan in February, has started flying MiG 21 jet again.
Varthaman returned to the fighter cockpit, nearly six months after sustaining injuries while ejecting from a fighter plane during an aerial combat between India and Pakistan on 27 February.
"He has started flying," said a top military official. At present, Varthaman is serving at an IAF base in Rajasthan.
Before his jet was hit, he downed an F-16 fighter of Pakistan. Varthaman was released on the night of 1 March by Pakistan.
He had sustained injuries while ejecting from his MiG 21 Bison during the aerial combat and was taken off flying duties because of it.
Vir Chakra is the third highest gallantry award after the Paramvir Chakra and the Mahavir Chakra.
IAF's Bengaluru-based Institute of Aerospace Medicine has given the go-ahead to Varthaman to fly again following a thorough medical evaluation around three weeks back.
Days after he returned from Pakistan, Varthaman conveyed to IAF brass his wish to return to fighter cockpit at the earliest.
The IAF pilot underwent a nearly two-week-long debriefing by security agencies following his return from Pakistan.
IAF fighter jets bombed a Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist training camp in Balakot, deep inside Pakistan on 26 February, nearly two weeks after the Pulwama strike.
Pakistan retaliated on 27 February by attempting to target Indian military installations.
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