Srikant Kesnur Profile picture
Jun 16 15 tweets 27 min read
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 ImageImageImageImage
2/n. #ValLitFest
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. ImageImageImageImage
3/n. #ValLitFest
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 ImageImageImage
4/n. #ValLitFest
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 ImageImageImageImage
5/n. #ValLitFest
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 ImageImageImageImage
6/n. #ValLitFest
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 ImageImageImageImage
7/n. #ValLitFest
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 ImageImageImageImage
8/n. #ValLitFest
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 ImageImageImage
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 ImageImageImage
10/n. #ValLitFest
many like minded people interested in matters maritime, navy, history, books, reading. A truly enriching experience. For more about the Fest & Place do read

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More from @srikantkesnur

Jan 26
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
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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
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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,
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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.
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Following
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Read 25 tweets
Nov 30, 2021
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
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Nov 3, 2021
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
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Read 15 tweets

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