To pay homage, Surya Kiran team to not participate in Aero India show

Agencies

February 20, 2019

Bengaluru, Feb 20: Amid a pall of gloom after two Surya Kiran aircraft collided, which resulted to the death of a pilot, the Surya Kiran team has decided to not participate in the five-day air show Aero India 2019 which begun in Bengaluru on Wednesday.

In memory and honour of Wing Commander Sahil Gandhi who lost his life in the crash, HAL-built aircraft will fly the missing man formation-Suryakiran where three planes will fly with the right side position of the team leader kept empty signaling the departure of their comrade .

"The missing man formation will be flown to honour the Surya Kiran team pilots," Training Command Chief Air Marshal RKS Bhadauria said.

The Surya Kiran team aircraft were parked behind the runway at the Aero India venue at Yelahanka airbase of the Air Force.

Other aircraft including the foreign and Indian planes will continue their flying display at the venue and as per their plan.

Two pilots were seriously injured while one pilot was killed while rehearsing the Mirror manoeuvre, a day ahead of the Aero India show.

"There was an unfortunate incident, two aircraft collided during a mirror formation. An inquiry has been lodged. All displays except for Surya Kiran Aerobatics Team will continue as listed in the program," Bhadauria said yesterday.

"In cases like Surya Kiran, the risk factor is high. In this particular incident, the two aircraft were trying a mirror image. One aircraft was just above another in an inverted form. This was in close proximity. In these kinds of instances, it is not good to speculate as to what happened. It could have been operational or maybe there were birds or it may have been human error. We have to wait and see what the inquiry reveals," he had said.

Suryakiran teams have been performing around the world on their aircraft and this is the first accident involving the team after the induction of Hawk Advanced Jet Trainers in the team.

The earlier aircraft used for the team was the Kirans which had been manufactured by the HAL, a Bengaluru-based aircraft manufacturing company.

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Major facelift for Mangaluru's sporting heart: Mangala Stadium set for 2-month closure to upgrade synthetic track

News Network

December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Educational institutions in Mangaluru that rely on the popular Mangala Stadium for their annual sports events are bracing for an inconvenience as the city's key sporting venue is set to close its gates for a significant upgrade. The stadium is expected to be unavailable for approximately two months starting from January 15, 2026.

The closure is necessitated by a proposed overhaul of the stadium's facilities, with a special focus on upgrading the synthetic track. Pradeep Dsouza, Assistant Director of the District of Youth Empowerment and Sports (DYES), Dakshina Kannada, confirmed the development.

"Experts have visited the stadium, conducted a thorough inspection, and have given the go-ahead for a complete makeover," Dsouza stated. "Funds have been allocated for the project, and we are currently awaiting the final green signal from state officials to commence the work. We anticipate that the work will likely begin in the second week of January. Consequently, we have stopped renting out the stadium to colleges and other organizations in preparation for the upgrade."

The timing presents a logistical challenge for colleges, as many schools have already concluded their sports meets.

"Colleges will now be organizing their events and will need to find alternative locations to host their sports meets," Dsouza added. He suggested a few potential venues, including the Dakshina Kannada police ground, University College grounds, Panambur grounds, Swaraj Maidan in Moodbidri, and the Mangalore University sports grounds in Konaje.

However, many institutions note that finding a comparable venue will be difficult. While the DK police ground and University College grounds are closer to the city center, they do not possess the extensive facilities and infrastructure offered by Mangala Stadium.

Dr. P Dayananda Pai - P Satisha Govt First Grade College, Carstreet, is one such institution dependent on the stadium. Principal Jayakar Bhandary expressed hope for a swift completion of the work. "We expect the work to be completed at the earliest. If not, we will be forced to look for other venues to host the sports day for our students," Bhandary said, highlighting the pressing need for the city's main sporting facility.

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