Indian Air Force Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman became national hero after a video of the IAF pilot sipping tea with Pakistan officials went viral on social media. After spending 60 hours in Pakistan’s captivity The national hero later returned home safely March 1, 2019.
When Abhinandan was captured, Pakistani militia released footages of the pilot, in which he was drinking tea while coolly answering questions by Pakistani authorities.
Meanwhile, Abhinandan’s wife Tanvi Marwah had asked her husband to “bring back the recipe” of the tea that was served to him.
A former IAF helicopter pilot, Tanvi, showed confidence and calmness when she got a call from Pakistan routed through Saudi Arabia. As soon as Tanvi heard her husband’s voice, she was shocked but due to her presence of mind, she recorded the conversation as she was quite aware of the fact that ISI was at play.
While talking to Abhinandan, when his wife asked what she should tell their two children about the whereabouts of their father, the IAF pilot replied: “Tell my kids Papa jail mein hain (Papa is behind the bars).”
“Chai kaisi thi (how was the tea)?” Tanvi asked.
“Achhi thi (it was nice),” Abhinandan replied.
“Mujhse bhi achhi banayi (was it better than how I make it)?”
Abhinandan replied with a laugh: “Yes, it was better.”
“Phir recipe lete hue aana (then bring back the recipe),” Tanvi said.
That’s what Abhinandan’s wife said when the IAF pilot joked about the tea he was served in the custody of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence.
On the other hand, Abhinandan’s one-liner “I am not supposed to tell you this,” became national craze during his captivity.
Agencies