Continuing with its poetic praise on its personnel, the Indian Air Force on Sunday, 10 March, described Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman as someone who "hunted the hunter".
Posting a poem on its official Twitter handle @IAF_MCC, 'Sabke Bass Ki Baat Nahi', written by Bipin Allhabadi, the IAF described the fighter pilot's feat as something that is not possible for everyone.
What Abhinandan Varthaman did is not everyone’s cup of tea. He hunted the hunter, the Hindi poem read.
Tensions between India and Pakistan flared up after a suicide bomber of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror group killed 40 Central Reserve Police Force personnel in Kashmir's Pulwama district on February 14.
India launched a counter-terror operation in Balakot on 26 February.
The next day, Pakistan Air Force retaliated and downed a MiG-21 and captured Varthaman.
However, in the air fight, the Air Force pilot had also shot down Pakistan’s F-16 fighter jet.
After his capture and subsequent release, the Air Force pilot became an overnight sensation across the country.
On Friday, the IAF had tweeted another poem by the same poet 'Hadd Sarhad Ki', whose lines can be construed as a jibe at Islamabad.
(Published in arrangement with PTI)
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