Abhinandan fit to fly again

New Delhi: Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot Abhinandan Varthaman, who was captured by Pakistan when Delhi and Islamabad were involved in aerial skirmishes earlier this year, has reportedly cleared all medical tests and is fit to fly again.

After his capture in February, Wing Commander Varthaman was taken off flying duties due to injuries sustained in Pakistan after ejecting from his MiG-21.

He then underwent a series of tests over the next month-and-a-half to decide if he can fly a fighter jet again.

Varthaman was captured by the Pakistani Army on February 27 after his MiG-21 Bison jet was shot down in a dogfight with Pakistani jets during an aerial combat. He downed an F-16 fighter of Pakistan before his plane was hit.

After he was captured, Varthaman showed courage and grace in handling the most difficult circumstances for which he was praised by politicians, strategic affairs experts, ex-servicemen, celebrities and people in general.