Vice President Shri C.P. Radhakrishnan, Governor Shri Romen Deka, Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai and Assembly Speaker Dr. Raman Singh watched the air show.
Air Force aircraft showcased aerobatics with discipline, mutual trust, precision, and patriotism.
Air Force’s air show was a wonderful experience for the people of Chhattisgarh, leaving them mesmerized for an hour.
Raipur, November 5, 2025/ On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the formation of Chhattisgarh state, the prestigious aerobatic team “Surya Kiran” of the Indian Air Force today performed a thrilling air show over the Send reservoir in Nava Raipur. Thousands of people, along with the country’s Vice President Shri C.P. Radhakrishnan, Governor Shri Romen Deka, Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai, and Assembly Speaker Dr. Raman Singh, enjoyed the amazing and thrilling air show. Today, the Air Force’s air show was a wonderful experience for the state’s residents. Fighter planes of the Air Force performed several aerial maneuvers one after another over the Send reservoir. The daredevils of the Air Force displayed their control and valor wonderfully through fighter planes flying in perfect formation like flocks of birds in the sky. When the tricolor was unfurled in the sky by the aircraft, the Send reservoir resonated with slogans of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’.
During the air show, Group Captain Shri Ajay Dasharathi, leader of the “Surya Kiran” team, congratulated the people of Chhattisgarh on their silver jubilee from the sky. Chhattisgarh resident Squadron Leader Shri Gaurav Patel of the Indian Air Force greeted the audience from his cockpit over the Send reservoir by saying ‘Jai Johar’ and ‘Chhattisgarhiya Sabale Badhiya’. Deputy Chief Minister Shri Vijay Sharma, Agriculture Minister Shri Ramvichar Netam, Minister for Forest and Climate Change Shri Kedar Kashyap, Food Minister Shri Dayal Das Baghel, Health Minister Shri Shyam Bihari Jaiswal, Revenue Minister Shri Tankram Verma, Finance Minister Shri O.P. Choudhary, Minister for Women and Child Development Smt. Lakshmi Rajwade, Skill Development Minister Guru Khushwant Saheb, and Member of Parliament Shri Brijmohan Agarwal, along with office bearers of various corporations, boards, and commissions, also attended the air show.
The “Surya Kiran” team entertained the audience for an hour with aerobatics in Air Force aircraft, displaying discipline, mutual trust, precision, and enthusiasm. Thousands of spectators at the Send reservoir in Nava Raipur remained mesmerized by the astonishing courage and maneuvers of the pilots. Under the leadership of Wing Commander Shri A.V. Singh, the One-F-9 and One-F-8 helicopter units performed slippery and sky-operation maneuvers with Mi-17 and Mi-5 helicopters. From these helicopters named ‘Aadidev’, 14 Garud commandos descended using ropes, hovering at an altitude of only 15 meters. During the sky operation, eight Garud commandos flew past the audience hanging from ropes from the helicopter. Both these operations are conducted to rescue the general public during conflict and disaster.
In the air show, nine Hawk-Mark-123 fighter aircraft of the “Surya Kiran” team thrilled the audience by creating spectacular formations like Heart, Diamond, Loop, Grover, Dawn Light, and Combat Tejas in the sky. The Send reservoir complex echoed with applause and ‘Jai Hind’ slogans as the red and white jet aircraft flying in the blue sky left attractive trails of the tricolor. Thousands of citizens, youth, and children continuously captured the aerial acrobatics of the aircraft on their cameras and mobile phones.
The brave fighter pilots of the Air Force conveyed their wishes for the 25th State Festival by creating a heart shape in the sky. They presented their respect to the tricolor by creating a DNA shape with the three colors of the tricolor. They flew fighter jets in a 360° maneuver and also flew a jet upside down. Along with creating the letter ‘Y’, dedicated to Tejas and youth, they performed several other maneuvers. The team’s performance is not just entertainment but also carries a message of inspiring patriotism, courage, and service in the Indian Armed Forces among the youth.
Squadron Leader Shri Gaurav Patel from Chhattisgarh’s participation in the air show was a moment of pride and emotional connection for the state’s residents. Flying his aircraft at high speed in the sky, Shri Patel shouted ‘Jai Johar’ and ‘Chhattisgarhiya Sabale Badhiya’ from his cockpit. During her live commentary, Flight Lieutenant Ms. Kanwal Sandhu provided a thrilling description of the air show, along with details of the pilots’ discipline, dedication, training, and risk management.
“Surya Kiran” is Asia’s only aerobatic team with nine fighter jets, established in 1996.
The Surya Kiran Aerobatic Team of the Indian Air Force is Asia’s only aerobatic team comprising nine fighter jets. This distinguished team flies HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited) licensed Hawk Mk-132 aircraft manufactured in India. Through these aircraft, the Indian Air Force demonstrates its precision, professional excellence, and skill, featuring thrilling aerial maneuvers and highly accurate formations. The mission of the Surya Kiran team makes it special. Its mission is to inspire the country’s youth to join the Indian Armed Forces and serve the nation.
The Surya Kiran team was established in 1996. Since then, the team has had the honor of being Asia’s only nine-aircraft aerobatic team and is among the few top aerobatic teams in the world. This extraordinary team has performed over 700 shows across India to date. It has also represented India in international air shows in several countries, including China, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The team consists of a total of 13 pilots, 3 engineering officers, 1 announcer (commentator), and 1 medical officer.
The Surya Kiran team embodies the spirit of the Indian Air Force, which is based on excellence, discipline, and teamwork. All the pilots in the team undergo extremely rigorous training, involving months of practice of complex aerobatic movements. Their flawless coordination and control are the foundation of their close formation flying, where nine aircraft appear to be operated by a single spirit.
