As visuals of Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman flying a sortie with IAF chief BS Dhanoa played out on TV screens, viewers were quick to spot the swashbuckling 'gunslinger' moustache was missing on the famed India pilot who shot down a PAF F-16 fighter aircraft during a dogfight in February earlier this year.
The Wing Commander kept it simple as he sported a trimmed moustache and a suave hairstyle.
Social media was abuzz with comments.
"Sad to see that he has trimmed his iconic moustache," a user tweeted.
"Ohhh the moustache!!!!" another Twitter user remarked.
"Where is the iconic moustache Mr. #AbhinandanVarthaman ? " wrote another netizen with sad and crying smilies.
"The handlebar is gone. But, the style and smile remain," a user wrote on the micro-blogging site.
Some wondered why Abhinandan shaved his moustache.
"Why abhinandan sir shave his moustache," a user wrote.
Another Twitter user who identified himself by the name of LCA Tejas (India) weighing in on the issue said, "Trimmed to confirm with regulation. The moustache of Wg Cdr Abhinandan Varthaman as seen during his detention in PoK and Pak was a temporary phase, prior to his participation for #AeroIndia2019, from where he straight away landed at his base, and the subsequent action."
Some barbershops had offered customers to sport Abhinandan's signature moustache for free of cost.
The look became quite a rage in the country.
During Pakistan's counter-attack on India on February 27 in response to the Balakot airstrike, Abhinandan had flown a MiG-21 Bison fighter into Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Abhinandan had been grounded due to ejection from his MiG-21 which had been shot down in the aerial conflict with Pakistan Air Force F-16s. He was released by the Pakistan government after pressure exerted by India and the international community.
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