The skies above Sendh Lake, Nava Raipur turned into a theatre of precision and power on Sunday, 1 November 2026, as the Indian Air Force's world-renowned Sarang Aerobatic Display Team ran a full-dress rehearsal ahead of Chhattisgarh Rajyotsav — and Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai was ringside for every manoeuvre.

The Chief Minister's Office of Chhattisgarh shared footage and details of the event, confirming that CM Sai attended the rehearsal as part of the state's 26th foundation day celebrations marking Chhattisgarh's creation on 1 November 2000. The full aerial showcase is now set for 2 November 2026 at the same venue.

Skydivers, commandos and helicopters in a single afternoon

Three distinct units put Sendh Lake's airspace to work during the rehearsal. The Akashganga Skydiving Team — the IAF's free-fall demonstration unit — leapt from altitude in a display the CMO described as 'adamya sahas ka parichay' ('an introduction to indomitable courage'). Meanwhile, Garud Commandos, the IAF's elite special-operations force established in 2004, performed helicopter slithering, rescue operations and combat sequences, giving spectators a rare ground-level look at the kind of work the unit does in live theatres.

The centrepiece, however, was the Sarang Aerobatic Display Team — the IAF's only dedicated helicopter aerobatics unit, flying the indigenously developed Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) in close-formation sequences since 2003. The team has performed at air shows across Asia, Europe and the Middle East, giving it a genuinely global profile. Watching a full-dress run of that repertoire over a Chhattisgarh lake is not an everyday event.

CM Sai's message to the state's youth

CM Sai praised the IAF personnel for their courage, discipline, dedication and coordination, stating that the Sarang team's performance 'yuvaon ke liye prernadayi hai' — 'is inspirational for the youth'. The remark was pointed: Chhattisgarh has a young demographic, and the state government has publicly aligned its Viksit Chhattisgarh vision with careers in defence and public service as pathways for aspiring young residents.

Why Rajyotsav and the IAF make sense together

State governments across India have increasingly partnered with Indian Armed Forces display units for foundation day events — a format that deepens civil-military engagement while channelling the patriotic energy of the occasion into something concrete and visible. For Chhattisgarh specifically, the association carries additional resonance: the state has a long history of active security operations, and showcasing the IAF's Garud Commandos alongside its showpiece aerobatic team signals both the human cost of that reality and the institutional excellence that underpins it.

Nava Raipur — the planned capital also known as Atal Nagar — has become the preferred stage for the state's marquee events since its development, and Sunday's rehearsal cements Sendh Lake as the centrepiece venue for this year's Rajyotsav programme.

The main event lands tomorrow. Chhattisgarh's skies are already booked.