CM Shivakumar hoists tricolour at Bengaluru's iconic parade ground
Synopsis
Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar hoisted the national flag at Field Marshal Manekshaw Parade Ground in Bengaluru on 15 August 2026, marking India's 80th Independence Day in a ceremony shared by the Chief Minister's Office of Karnataka on X.
Key Takeaways
Shivakumar , Chief Minister of Karnataka, performed the flag-hoisting ceremony on 15 August 2026 .
The event was held at Field Marshal Manekshaw Parade Ground , Bengaluru's principal ceremonial venue.
The occasion marks India's 80th Independence Day , observed annually since 1947 .
State-level ceremonies mirror the Prime Minister's flag-hoisting at the Red Fort in New Delhi, a tradition maintained across all states.
The Chief Minister's Office shared video of the ceremony on X , posting in Kannada to mark the celebration.
At Field Marshal Manekshaw Parade Ground in Bengaluru, Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar unfurled the national flag on 15 August 2026, marking the nation's 80th Independence Day with a ceremony that drew citizens across the state capital.
A ground with history, a moment of pride
Field Marshal Manekshaw Parade Ground — named after India's first Field Marshal, Sam Manekshaw — is Bengaluru's foremost ceremonial venue, the site of every major Independence Day and Republic Day parade the city has hosted. On Saturday morning, that legacy deepened as the tricolour rose above the ground to mark eight decades of Indian independence.
The Chief Minister's Office shared the moments on X, posting in Kannada: '80ನೇ ಸ್ವಾತಂತ್ರ್ಯೋತ್ಸವದ ಸಂಭ್ರಮ!' — 'The joy of the 80th Independence Day!' The post captured the flag-hoisting ceremony in a video, underscoring the solemnity and celebration of the occasion.
Karnataka's place in a nationwide tradition
Every 15 August, state chief ministers across India mirror the Prime Minister's flag-hoisting at the Red Fort in New Delhi by presiding over parallel ceremonies in their respective state capitals. The tradition, unbroken since 1947, affirms both national unity and the constitutional role of elected state governments in marking the republic's milestones.
For Karnataka, the Bengaluru ceremony is the definitive moment — attended by senior officials, security forces, schoolchildren, and citizens — that anchors the state's Independence Day observance.
Eighty years on, the flag still rises at dawn. The ceremony is brief; the weight of what it represents is not.
Point of View
Presiding over the 80th edition at Bengaluru's most storied parade ground carries symbolic weight at a time when the Congress-led Karnataka government is keen to project administrative confidence. The 80th anniversary is a generational marker, and state capitals that stage these events well claim a share of the national narrative. How Karnataka chooses to frame its Independence Day messaging will be a small but telling signal of its political posture heading into the next cycle.
NationPress
16 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Where did Karnataka's Independence Day 2026 flag hoisting take place?
The ceremony was held at Field Marshal Manekshaw Parade Ground in Bengaluru , Karnataka's principal venue for national-day observances.
Who is D.K. Shivakumar?
D.K. Shivakumar is an Indian National Congress politician serving as Chief Minister of Karnataka, known for his long tenure in state administration and politics.
Why is it called the 80th Independence Day in 2026?
India gained independence on 15 August 1947 , making 2026 the 80th anniversary of that event — hence the '80th Independence Day' designation.
What is Field Marshal Manekshaw Parade Ground?
It is a major public ground in Bengaluru named after Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw , India's first Field Marshal, and is the city's primary venue for Independence Day and Republic Day parades.
Do all state chief ministers hoist the flag on Independence Day?
Yes. Every 15 August , chief ministers across India preside over flag-hoisting ceremonies in their state capitals, mirroring the Prime Minister's ceremony at the Red Fort in New Delhi — a tradition maintained since 1947 .
