Chennai: Carrying a huge load of love from multitudes of well-wishers, the family of Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman left for Delhi Thursday night to welcome the hero at the Wagah border where the Pakistani forces wo-
uld release him on Friday.
Sources said Abhi's father Air Marshall (retd) Varthaman Simhakutty, mother Dr Shoba and close relatives Prasad Ajit, Usha Ajit Prasad and Ashok Banukumar took the Indigo flight at 10:.35 pm.
Family serving India for generations
As the nation joyously celebrated the news from across the border that Wing Commander Abhinandan is being released on Friday, the much-decorated Air Marshall (retd) S Varthaman has said he is very proud of his son Abhi's bravery and thanked the people for their love, great support and good wishes.
"Thank you my friends for your concern and wishes. I thank God for his blessings, Abhi is alive, not injured, sound in mind, just look at the way he talked so bravely...a true soldier...we are so proud of him," said the proud father.
"I am sure all your hands and blessings are on his head...prayers for his safe return. I pray that he does not get tortured and comes home safe and sound in body and mind," the veteran IAF personnel, whose father was also an air warrior, said in a statement on Thursday.
Thanking the people for "being with the family in this hour of need", he said, "We draw our strengths from your support and energy".
Referring to the video of his son after capture in Pakistan, Air Marshall Varthaman said Abhinandan "spoke like a true soldier" despite being in extreme difficult situation in captivity. He was praying his son should not get tortured and he must return home safe and sound, said the retired Air Marshall, who had served the IAF with great distinction. His father Simhakutty too had served the nation in the Air Force during the Second World War.
Many political leaders and prominent well wishers called on the family at suburban Chennai to express solidarity, including senior state minister D Jayakumar, who later told reporters the nation was proud and grateful to Abhinandan and family. "The parents' courage is admirable. Father Varthaman is a retired Air Marshall and had served our nation during the Kargil war," he said adding Abhi's grandfather Simhakutty too had served the nation during World War II in the Air Force.
For the veteran Air Marshall, who is a recipient of many honours including a Param Vishisht Seva Medal, there is now an uncanny similarity between reel and real life now. Just like the 2017 Mani Ratnam film "Kaatru Veliyidai," for which Varthaman was a consultant, his son has unfortunately landed in Pakistan's custody. In the movie, hero Karthi -who essayed the role of an IAF officer- lands in Pakistan after his jet got shot down. The hero gets reunited later with his family in the movie and so will soon be Abhi. Hashtags like #BringBackAbhinandan, #AbhinandanMyHero, MeraJawanSabseMajboot trended on microblogging site Twitter seeking Abhinandan's early return. Actor Karthi tweeted saying, "I'm very fortunate to have met a few of our fighter pilots in #IAF. It's a true honour to know them and they are men of a different league. I sincerely pray for the safe return of our warriors."
Meanwhile, PTI quoted from defence ministry release of 2011 to say that when Varthaman took charge as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Air Command, he was among a few select pilots to hold the distinction of having flown 40 types of aircraft with over 4000 flying hours. During the Kargil conflict, he was the Chief Operations Officer of Gwalior and he was in command of an operational airbase in the western sector at the time of Operation Parakram following the December 13, 2001 terrorist attack on Parliament.
