Abhinandan Varthaman to get Bhagwan Mahavir Ahimsa Puraskar
Nashik: Indian Air Force Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman will be the first recipient of the 'Bhagwan Mahavir Ahimsa Puraskar' instituted by the Akhil Bharatiya Digambar Jain Mahasamiti, a functionary of the organisation said Sunday.
Varthaman, piloting a Mig-21 Bison, shot down a Pakistan Air Force F-16 with an R-73 air-to-air missile in a dogfight on February 27 before his aircraft took a hit and he had to eject.
He was captured by Pakistan forces soon after and was released on March 1.
The award for the fighter pilot was announced in New Delhi by the organisation's chairperson Manidra Jain, said its Maharashtra chapter convener Paras Lohade here.
The award, instituted this year, carries a cash prize of Rs 2.51 lakh, a memento and a citation and will be presented to Varthaman on April 17, coinciding with Mahavir Jayanti, Lohade said.
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Mustafa Bengre elected District President of SIO Dakshina Kannada for 2026 term
Mangaluru: Mustafa Bengre has been unanimously elected as the District President of the Students Islamic Organisation of India, Dakshina Kannada Unit (SIO DK), for the 2026 term. The election was conducted through an internal organisational process, led by SIO Karnataka State Secretary Sufyan Zain.
Mustafa Bengre holds a BBA degree from Mangalore University and is a resident of Kasba Bengre in Mangaluru. He is currently working as a sales executive at Vibro Aqua.
He has previously served as the District Secretary of SIO Dakshina Kannada, City Secretary of SIO Mangaluru and has been actively involved in several social service initiatives in Bengre and across the Dakshina Kannada district.
