Archive · 9 Aug 2026
IAF Band Independence Day concert at National War Memorial
The Indian Air Force has a special music band, like a big group of musicians who play instruments.
This Sunday evening, the band will play a concert in New Delhi at the National War Memorial, a place built to remember brave soldiers.
The concert is a celebration for Independence Day, the day India celebrates being free.
It will last one hour, from 5 o'clock to 6 o'clock in the evening.
The band will also celebrate that 'Vande Mataram,' a very famous Indian song, is 150 years old.
Forty musicians will play — 32 Airmen and eight Agniveervayu, and three of them are women.
The leader of the band for this show is Master Warrant Officer A Srihari.
In other news, Indian Air Force pilots just finished a big training exercise called Pitch Black in Australia with pilots from 21 countries.
That exercise helped everyone practice working together and ended with cheer for a mission accomplished.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) Band will hold a special one-hour Independence Day musical performance at the National War Memorial in New Delhi on Sunday evening.
The event commemorates 150 years of the National Song 'Vande Mataram'.
A team of 40 musicians — 32 Airmen and eight Agniveervayu, including three women — will perform.
Principal conductor Master Warrant Officer A Srihari will lead the event, assisted by Junior Warrant Officer Moon Deka, Junior Warrant Officer Abhishek Paul, and Sergeant NT Singh.
Separately, IAF pilots completed Exercise Pitch Black 2026 on Friday, a multinational air combat exercise hosted by the Royal Australian Air Force.
- Who
- Indian Air Force (IAF) Band — a 40-member team led by principal conductor Master Warrant Officer A Srihari.
- What
- A special one-hour patriotic musical performance marking Independence Day and commemorating 150 years of 'Vande Mataram'; IAF pilots also completed Exercise Pitch Black 2026.
- When
- Sunday evening, 5 p.m.–6 p.m.; Exercise Pitch Black 2026 ran from July 20 to August 7, 2026.
- Where
- Public Plaza, Param Yodha Sthal, National War Memorial, New Delhi; Pitch Black 2026 was held in Australia's Northern Territory and Queensland.
- Why
- To mark Independence Day, celebrate national pride and heritage, and — for Pitch Black — to enhance interoperability and combat readiness with partner air forces.
- Event
- IAF Band special Independence Day musical performance
- Venue
- Public Plaza, Param Yodha Sthal, National War Memorial, New Delhi
- Timing
- Sunday, 5 p.m.–6 p.m. (one hour)
- Musicians
- 40 (32 Airmen, 8 Agniveervayu; including 3 women)
- Principal Conductor
- Master Warrant Officer A Srihari
- Commemoration
- 150 years of the National Song 'Vande Mataram'
- Exercise Pitch Black 2026
- July 20–August 7, 2026; hosted by RAAF in Northern Territory and Queensland, Australia (21 nations, 100 aircraft, 2,500 personnel)