New Delhi, : Indian Air Force pilot group Captain Abhinandan Varthaman was accorded the Vir Chakra on Monday by President Ram Nath Kovind, for shooting down a Pakistani F-16 fighter aircraft during aerial combat on February 27, 2019.
Abhinandan was recently promoted to the rank of Group Captain. He was a Wing Commander back then.
Abhinandan is credited to have been the only Mig-21 pilot ever to have shot down an F-16.