Full Dress Rehearsal Held for Maharashtra State Foundation Day Ceremony

Mumbai, April 2026 : A full dress rehearsal for the main official ceremony marking the 67th Maharashtra State Foundation Day was conducted at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Ground in Dadar ahead of the celebrations scheduled for May 1, 2026.

The rehearsal featured a ceremonial flag hoisting carried out by Chandrakant More, Deputy Secretary of the Protocol Department. The national anthem, national song, and state song were performed as part of the salute to the flag, reflecting the formal and patriotic spirit of the upcoming event.

The programme is being organised by the General Administration Department (Protocol) of the Maharashtra government. Senior officials, including Additional Director General of Police (Administration) Madhukar Pandey, were present during the rehearsal along with other dignitaries.

As part of the ceremony, awards were distributed to contingents that delivered outstanding performances during the Republic Day parade held on January 26, 2026. In the armed forces category, the State Reserve Police Force secured the first prize, followed by the Brihanmumbai Armed Police (Men) in second place. The third prize was jointly awarded to the Brihanmumbai Riot Control Police and the C-60 units from Gondia and Gadchiroli districts.

In the unarmed forces category, the Mumbai Fire Brigade claimed the top honour, while the Security Guard Board of Brihanmumbai and Thane district secured second place. The State Excise Department received the third prize.

School contingents also participated in the parade, with awards given to the best-performing teams. The first prize was awarded to the Road Safety Patrol (Girls) team from Rustamji International School, Dahisar. The second prize went to the Road Safety Patrol (Boys) team from Dr Antonio Da Silva High School, Dadar, while St Paul High School, Dadar secured the third prize in the boys’ category.

Additionally, under the Government of India’s Ministry of Home Affairs initiative, the Student Police Cadet Programme is being actively implemented in 244 government and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation schools. The programme targets students of Classes 8 and 9 as part of efforts to modernise the police force and instil discipline and civic responsibility among youth.

For the academic year 2025–26, awards were presented to schools that performed exceptionally well under the programme. Marathi Mumbai Public School, Vile Parle (West), secured the first prize, followed by S.S.S. Multipurpose Technical High School, Mumbai in second place. The third prize was awarded to Anjuman-I-Islam Badruddin Tyabji High School, Mumbai.

The rehearsal also showcased an impressive parade featuring multiple contingents, including the State Reserve Police Force, Brihanmumbai Armed Police, Riot Control Police, Women Police Units, Traffic Police, Home Guards, Fire Brigade, and municipal security forces. Special highlights included pipe bands, brass bands, mounted police units, and the Nirbhaya women’s squad, all of whom paid tribute during the ceremony.

The event concluded with the national anthem, marking the end of the rehearsal. The programme was compered by Shivani Joshi and Pallavi Mujumdar.