DC, IAF personnel visit Torchlight Parade Grounds; Date, time to be announced later 

Mysore/Mysuru: After a three-year hiatus, the highly anticipated Dasara Air Show, a prominent attraction during the Dasara festivities, is finally returning to Mysuru this year. The Indian Air Force will lead the show at the Torchlight Parade Grounds (Bannimantap Grounds). However, the specific date and time for the show will be announced later.

Deputy Commissioner and Dasara Special Officer Dr. K.V. Rajendra confirmed this news during his visit to the Bannimantap Grounds this morning, accompanied by Group Captain D.K. Ojha of the Mysuru Air Base. The Centre has granted permission to host the show this year in response to a request made by Chief Minister Siddharamaiah.

Siddharamaiah had personally met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi recently and urged him to organise an Air Show by the Indian Air Force in Mysuru as part of the Dasara celebrations, which will take place from Oct. 15 to 24.

The Chief Minister highlighted that the IAF had previously conducted successful Air Shows at the Torchlight Parade Ground in Mysuru in 2017, 2018, and 2019.

The last Air Show took place in Mysuru on October 2, 2019, at 12:20 pm, drawing an enthusiastic crowd of 35,000 spectators. The IAF teams from the Air Force Command (AFC) in Yelahanka, Bengaluru, delivered breathtaking aerial and ground manoeuvres.

Unfortunately, the popular show had to be cancelled in 2020, 2021, and 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and various other factors.

The Deputy Commissioner has instructed the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA), which owns and maintains the Torchlight Parade Ground, to ensure that all necessary preparations are made to host this mega show after a three-year hiatus. MUDA Executive Engineers and Assistant Executive Engineers are currently assessing the grounds and making the necessary arrangements.

Apart from preventing dust from arising during the show, as experienced in previous editions, and obstructing views, they will also work on creating adequate parking space. Preparations will commence immediately, including cleaning the surroundings of the grounds and settling the dust on the ground by regularly watering it from tankers.

Furthermore, the Police have been tasked with implementing measures to maintain law and order during the Air Show. A dedicated team led by Narasimharaja Sub-division ACP C.K. Ashwathnarayan and Narasimharaja Inspector Lakshmikantha Talawar is already on the job.