Karnataka CM Office thanks Armed Forces officers at Mysuru Dasara
Synopsis
The Chief Minister's Office of Karnataka named six senior Army, Navy, and Air Force officers — led by Lt Gen Ulhas Kirpekar — who participated in Mysuru Dasara 2026, formally thanking them for honouring the state's Nada Habba with their presence.
Key Takeaways
The CMO Karnataka posted a formal thank-you to six senior tri-service officers for attending Mysuru Dasara 2026 .
Lt Gen Ulhas Kirpekar, AVSM, SM (GOC, HQ Dakshin Bharat Area) headed the list of honoured officers.
Naval representation included Rear Admiral Vikram Menon, VSM (Karnataka Naval Area) and Rear Admiral Ravnish Seth, VSM (Naval Ship Repair Yard, Karwar).
Air Force presence was represented by AVM G.
Ananth , Headquarters Training Command, Bengaluru.
Military participation in Mysuru Dasara follows a long-standing ceremonial tradition including armed forces bands and contingents in the Jamboo Savari procession.
The individually named acknowledgement signals deliberate institutional respect for civil-military ties in Karnataka.
Six senior officers from the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force brought more than ceremonial presence to Mysuru Dasara 2026 — they brought the tri-service salute to Karnataka's grandest cultural stage. The Chief Minister's Office of Karnataka extended formal gratitude on Monday, 26 October 2026, naming each officer individually for their role in elevating the state's Nada Habba — the 'festival of the state'.
The acknowledgement listed Lieutenant General Ulhas Kirpekar, AVSM, SM, General Officer Commanding, Headquarters Dakshin Bharat Area, at the top of a six-name roll call. Also recognised were Major General Ajay Mishra, Chief of Staff, Headquarters Dakshin Bharat Area; Major General Bharat Mehtani, General Officer Commanding, Headquarters Karnataka and Kerala Sub Area; Rear Admiral Vikram Menon, VSM, Flag Officer Commanding, Karnataka Naval Area; Rear Admiral Ravnish Seth, VSM, Admiral Superintendent, Naval Ship Repair Yard, Karwar; and Air Vice Marshal G. Ananth, Senior Officer-in-Charge Administration, Headquarters Training Command, Indian Air Force, Bengaluru.
Why armed forces share the Dasara stage
Mysuru Dasara — a ten-day festival centred on the Mysuru Palace — is among the oldest and most watched state celebrations in India, drawing visitors from across the country and abroad. Military bands and contingents have historically formed part of the grand procession, the Jamboo Savari, lending the event a disciplined ceremonial dimension that complements its cultural grandeur. The formal invitation and public thanking of tri-service commanders reflects a deliberate pattern across southern Indian states: state governments periodically host senior defence personnel at marquee regional festivals to acknowledge their institutional role and reinforce visible civil-military bonds. With Headquarters Dakshin Bharat Area overseeing Karnataka, Kerala and neighbouring states, and Karnataka Naval Area anchoring the coastline from Karwar, the officers named represent the full tri-service footprint across the region.A formal name-by-name salute
What distinguishes this post is its deliberate specificity. Rather than a blanket 'we thank the Armed Forces', the CMO Karnataka listed every officer by full rank, decoration, and command — a gesture the message itself frames as one of honour: 'Their presence made our Nada Habba even more special.' That precision signals institutional respect, not routine protocol. For Karnataka, Dasara doubles as a tourism and soft-power moment, and the visible association of the state's top military brass adds a layer of national prestige to what is already a spectacle of heritage and hospitality.Point of View
Rank-by-rank public acknowledgement goes beyond courtesy — it is a calibrated display of the state government's regard for the tri-service establishment at a moment of high public visibility. For the Siddaramaiah-led government, being seen embracing the military at a pan-India cultural event like Dasara carries symbolic weight that transcends regional politics. The pattern of state-level civil-military engagement at cultural festivals in southern India is quietly deepening, with such gestures reinforcing institutional goodwill between state capitals and defence commands. Watch whether this becomes a template for Karnataka's future flagship events.
NationPress
26 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Mysuru Dasara and why is it called Nada Habba?
Mysuru Dasara is a ten-day festival held in Mysuru, Karnataka, celebrating the victory of good over evil. It is called 'Nada Habba' — meaning 'festival of the state' in Kannada — because it was declared the official state festival of Karnataka and is the grandest cultural event in the region.
Which armed forces officers were thanked by the Karnataka CMO for Dasara 2026?
Six officers were named: Lt Gen Ulhas Kirpekar (HQ Dakshin Bharat Area), Maj Gen Ajay Mishra (Chief of Staff, Dakshin Bharat Area), Maj Gen Bharat Mehtani (HQ Karnataka and Kerala Sub Area), Rear Admiral Vikram Menon (Karnataka Naval Area), Rear Admiral Ravnish Seth (Naval Ship Repair Yard, Karwar), and AVM G. Ananth (HQ Training Command, IAF, Bengaluru).
What is the role of Headquarters Dakshin Bharat Area?
Headquarters Dakshin Bharat Area is an Indian Army formation responsible for overseeing military operations and administration across southern Indian states including Karnataka and Kerala.
Do the Indian Armed Forces participate in Mysuru Dasara every year?
Yes, military bands and contingents have historically been part of Mysuru Dasara's grand procession, the Jamboo Savari, making armed forces participation a long-standing ceremonial tradition at the festival.
Where is the Naval Ship Repair Yard mentioned in the Karnataka CMO post?
The Naval Ship Repair Yard is located in Karwar, Karnataka, along the state's western coast, and falls under the Karnataka Naval Area command.
