Folks, coming in little late on this but here goes. I happened to be in INS Valsura, one of the Navy's premier training establishments, last week as a participant in the Valsura Literature Festival or #ValLitFest It was a marvellous experience for many reasons. First, hats off to
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the Navy, HQSNC & Team Valsura for organizing this delightful fest. Arguably, the first of its kind done by the Navy & first of its kind in Saurashtra region, the fest ticked many new boxes while having an eclectic range of themes & wide variety of authors.
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Done over a full day at 3 diff venues, with modest objectives but audacity in implementation, it was good to see range of school children, navy & army personnel & many others enthusiastically listen, interact & be active part of the proceedings. I also enjoyed
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several interesting conversations with fellow authors & writers. Hope the fest gains traction & is back in a bigger avatar next year. At a personal level too, the trip was highly memorable for me. We began our Navy career 36 years at INS Valsura, the station of
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our first young officers' (Sub Lt) courses. To go back there at the fag end of my service was a recipe for much nostalgia. For a Navy history lover, Valsura has much to provide. Both in its own 80 year illustrious past & in the form of an excellent heritage hall
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and Musuem where the technological history of Navy comes alive. Of particular interest is the philately section housing almost all stamps, first day & special day covers on Indian Navy & Coast Guard & a recently launched 'Covid Musuem' that records
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in impressive manner the trajectory of the pandemic & how Valsura handled it. An invaluable archival source few years down the line. There is so much more to the buzzing energetic place. An oasis of green in an arid region, the base has vast green cover, large
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solar energy plant, a booming Mango Orchard & novel outdoor installations, that showcase the unit & Navy well. While producing high quality Electrical branch Sailors & Officers, training on a dizzying array of high-tech equipment, Valsura also displayed it's
9/n. multifaceted character & charming versatility. Wide variety of birds, the hum & throb of daily training routine, warmth of its denizens, the quiet efficiency of the 'cantonment', make Valsura both a calm & busy place. Above all, loved my interaction and discussions with
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many like minded people interested in matters maritime, navy, history, books, reading. A truly enriching experience. For more about the Fest & Place do read
Folks, apart from the many reasons why 26 Jan is our foremost national day, it has significance at many levels for the Armed Forces. And not for the spectacular parade or poignant ceremony at war memorial alone. For it was on 26 Jan 1950 that the prefix Royal was dropped from
2/n. many military organizations & units. Thus, it was on this day 1950 that the Royal Indian Navy became the Indian Navy & His Majesty's Indian Ships became Indian Naval Ships. Thus, the prefix INS for Commissioned units now. This date also has special significance for the Navy
3/n. Until then the Royal Indian Navy (RIN) was the Senior of the 3 Services. On 26 Jan 50, this was changed alongwith redesignation of service and Army became the Senior Service. However, in the first Republic Day parade at then Irwin (now National) Stadium, it was the Naval
Folks, wishing a very happy 85th birthday to RAdm Santosh Kumar Gupta also fondly called Gigi. Conferred the Maha Vir Chakra for his gallant exploits in the 1971 war, Gigi sir is a living legend. Warm, affable, handsome & articulate, he radiates old world charm. A naval aviator,
2/n. Gupta was the Squadron Commander of the Seahawk squadron (INAS 300) which alongwith the Alizes (INAS 310) were embarked on the aircraft carrier Vikrant during the war. Together, they relentlessly bombarded port infrastructure of then East Pakistan and sank/damaged ships
3/n. thereby enabling the Carrier led Eastern Fleet to establish complete dominance in Bay of Bengal, strangulate the adversary & contribute to the final outcome of empathic victory as well as 90000 plus POWs. Begginning with the very first mission that he led on the morning of
Folks, this is fabulous news. Perfect timing by @indiannavy in concert with @CMD_MazagonDock & other stakeholders esp ships crew & Warship Overseeing Team, to celebrate the diamond jubilee of liberation of Goa. It is very significant both from symbolic & substantive perspectives.
2/n. To have the next Gen class ship Mormugao, named after Goa, sail on her first sortie on the very day the State was liberated is awesome. From accts of Mazdock blokes, it was a copybook sortie sans any hitches. For more do read this post too. m.facebook.com/story.php?stor…
Following
3/n. after the Commissioning of INS Visakhapatnam (lead ship of the class Mormugao belongs to) & the submarine INS Vela, less than a month ago and at a time when we are also commemorating Swarnim Vijay Varsh & Azadi ka Amrut Mahotsav augurs well for the Navy and Nation. Let's
Hello folks, let's wish the grand old Admiral of the Indian Navy, Sri Harilal Sarma, who turns 99 today. A hero of the 1971 war, SH Sarma commanded the newly formed Eastern Fleet as its first Commander & was the architect of its glorious role in the war. As he steps into Century
2/n. year, the nation must celebrate that he is hale, hearty and active. In a momentous year and time, that marks the golden jubilee, Swarnim Vijay Varsh, of our resounding victory in the war, as well as the 50th year of Eastern Fleet, it's also fitting to raise a toast to Sarma,
3/n. On his 'centurion' status & marvel at the coincidences that destiny throws up. For it was on this day, 01 Dec 71, on his 49th birthday, Sarma received orders to sail his Fleet, into harms way, in anticipation of imminent hostilities. Operating in the Andaman Islands until
Folks, bit of naval history. OTD, 60 years ago, in 1961, India's first aircraft carrier INS Vikrant steamed into home waters & entered Mumbai, then Bombay. She got a huge welcome as the largest ship & only aircraft carrier in the region. While the ship was commissioned earlier
2/n. in the United Kingdom on 04 Mar 61, she underwent extensive workup getting the air squadrons & ship's crew trained & ready for operations in future. On arrival in India, she was received by the Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. Vice Admiral RD Katari, the first Indian
3/n. CNS, received the PM & conducted his visit on the ship. At the reception, the PM said "I welcome Vikrant on behalf of India and wish you success and victory that is implied in her name". He told the ship's crew that they should be proud to serve on the Carrier & hoped that