For the Varthamans, flying the MiG-21 fighter aircraft is a sort of family tradition.
Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman downed a Pakistani F-16 plane before his MiG-21 Bison was hit during a dogfight.
His father Air Marshal (retd) Simhakutty Varthaman also flew the MiG-21s and was an IAF test pilot, who retired five years ago, a family friend said here Friday.
Abhinandan’s grandfather was also in the IAF, he said.
