All roads led to Ramakrishna Beach as thousands of people from different corners of the city gathered to watch the Navy Day celebrations on Sunday evening. For the first time, the Navy Day was held outside the national capital and President Droupadi Murmu, who is also the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, was the chief guest at the annual show hosted by the Eastern Naval Command in Visakhapatnam.
Bollywood music composer and singer Shankar Mahadevan singing atthe Navy Day celebrations in Visakhapatnam on Sunday. | Photo Credit: V. RAJU
The crowd started arriving at the venue from around 2 p.m., more than two-and-a-half hours before the start of the operational demo. It was worth the wait as the Operational Display, highlighting various aspects of Naval might, provided a feast for their eyes.
The beach resembled a battlefield as ships and submarines moved closer to the coast, helicopters and aircraft hovered at low heights and amphibious battle tanks moved across the beach. Submarine INS Sindhukeerthi and Naval ship INS Tarangini with high sails moved closer to the shore as Marine Commandos demonstrated ‘slithering operations’ as they descended from the Sea King helicopter with the help of a rope and got into a Gemini boat for demolition of an oil rig. It was followed by a high speed run by missile boats of the Indian Navy – the Immediate Support Vessel (ISV) and the Fast Interceptor Craft (FIC) – in a formation. These small but fast craft can attain speeds up to 40 knots
Badminton player P.V. Sindhu greeting the visitors at the Navy Day celebrations in Visakhapatnam on Sunday. | Photo Credit: V. RAJU
A sky diving demonstration by the Marine Commandos, who were dropped at a height of 8,000 feet above the ground, landing on the beach, drew applause from the crowd, especially children. Some women waved the national flag while others took pictures and videos on their mobile phones.
Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command, paying tributes to the martyrs on the occasion of Navy Day, at the War Memorial on the Beach Road in Visakhapatnam on Sunday. | Photo Credit: V. RAJU
The amphibious combat vehicles, moved on the sand and into the shallow waters, across the beach, the indigenously built Indian Naval warships – INS Delhi, INS Sahayadri and INS Kochi – moving in two columns and firing flares, one behind the other in that order and INS Jalashwa and landing of helicopters on the decks of the four ships was a treat to watch.
Spectacle in the sky
The manoeuvres by MIG 29 K dispensing multiple flares in the sky in different designs, and performing vertical manoeuvres provided a spectacle in the sky. The flypast by aircraft of the ENC like Chetaks, ALH, UH3H Sea King and Dornier in formation was impressive to say the least. The P8I, the long range maritime reconnaissance aircraft of the Indian Navy flying past the venue was awesome.
MIG 29 Ks seen firing flares simulating an attack, during the Navy Day celebrations near RK Beach in Visakhapatnam on Sunday. | Photo Credit: V. RAJU
Singer Shankar Mahadevan regaled the audience with his patriotic songs while his partner Ehsaan and Loy performed with him on the stage. Indian Badminton star P.V. Sindhu and lyricist Prasoon Joshi joined the chorus with them.
Book release
A book on Naval history titled ‘A Decade of Transformation - Signalling Power and Partnerships’ was released by the President. In addition, commemorating the event a Navy Telefilm, movie on Navy Wellness and Welfare Association and a new naval song titled ‘Call of the Blue Waters’ written by Mr. Prasoon Joshi and sung by Shankar Mahadevan were also released. The Navy Day 2022 also marked a special day for the Indian Navy as the new President’s Standard, a new Indian Navy Crest, and the CNS Standard were unvieled on the occasion. The new President’s Standard was displayed for the first time during the naval Guard of Honour inspected by the President on her arrival at INS Dega in Visakhapatnam.
