Since last month, social media has been consumed with just one name — Indian Air Force Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman. The IAF pilot returned home safely on March 1, 2019, after spending 60 hours in Pakistan's captivity. 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, reported ThePrint. And why not? She comes from a family that has carried a legacy of serving the nation, for generations. 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. Also in the video, when the pilot is asked about his identification, he promptly responds. But when he is asked about further details such as where he is from or what his mission was, he politely refused to answer. "I am not supposed to tell you this," he told the major who was apparently asking him questions.
