INS Tarangini 2004 India Stamp

INS Tarangini is a three-masted barque, commissioned in 1997 as a sail training ship for the Indian Navy. She is square rigged on the fore and main masts and fore-and-aft rigged on the mizzen mast. She was constructed in Goa to a design by the British naval architect Colin Mudie, and launched on 1 December 1995. In 2003-04, she became the first Indian naval ship to circumnavigate the globe.

Apart from races, the ship sails extensively across the Indian Ocean region for the purpose of providing sail training experience to the officer cadets of the Indian Navy. The Indian Navy believes that training onboard these ships is the best method of instilling among the trainees the "indefinable 'sea-sense' and respect for elements of nature, which are inseparable from safe and successful seafaring". The Navy believes that sail training also serves to impart the values of courage, camaraderie, endurance and esprit-de-corps among budding naval officers.

Tarangini started its first circumnavigation of the globe in 2003-04 with the theme of "building bridges of friendship across the oceans". During the fifteen-month voyage, the ship covered 33,000 nautical miles (61,000 km) and visited 36 ports in 18 countries. The ship was received by the president, Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam on 25-04-2004

In 2003-04, she became the first Indian naval ship to circumnavigate the globe. Since then, Tarangini has sailed to The Great Lakes in Canada for races and  also participated in European tall ship races. Tarangini won The Royal Thames Yacht Club Challenge Trophy in 2005 at Europe

Department of Posts commemorated  the first circumnavigation voyage  by  releasing  miniatures sheet with Stamp

Issued Date :24.04.2004
Denomination :500 Paise

International Fleet Review 2016 India stamp

A Naval Fleet Review is a long-standing tradition of navies world-over. The Review  was conceived as a show of naval might and readiness for battle. In India,  ten Reviews have been held so far, with the first in 1953 and the  latest  in 2011. The Review aims at assuring the country of the Indian Navy‘s preparedness, its high moral and discipline. Assembling of warships without any belligerent intentions is now the norm. Leading nations of the world, occasionally invite their maritime neighbours, to participate with their ships in the review. Normally called  ‘International  Fleet Review’, the event then allows the host nation an occasion to display its maritime capabilities and mutual trust amongst maritime nations.

The only previous International  Fleet Review in India was conducted in February 2001, off Mumbai. This earned the country widespread appreciation and goodwill. On 06th February 2016, the President of India, is scheduled to review the fleet of participating Indian and foreign warships off Vishakhapatnam.

The International Fleet Review 2016 logo depicts the 3 operating dimensions of the Navy, with a ship, submarine and an aircraft, and also letters I-F-R form an integral part of the logo. The Dolphin has been chosen as the mascot, depicting friendship across oceans, and the theme is ‘United through Oceans’.

The President of India being the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, once in his term, reviews the Indian Naval Fleet as part of the ‘President’s Fleet Review’ (PFR).

This review aims at assuring the country of the Indian Navy’s preparedness, its high morale and discipline. Many leading nations of the world use the opportunity provided by a Fleet Review to enhance mutual trust and confidence with their maritime neighbours and partners by inviting their ships to participate in the Review. Normally called the ‘International Fleet Review’ (IFR), this event then provides the host nation an occasion to display its own naval prowess, and the bridges of friendship and trust it has built with other maritime nations. Owing to the many military-diplomatic benefits it accrues to the nation, the Indian Navy is conducting an International Fleet

The Department of Posts is pleased to release a commemorative  postage stamp on the occasion of International Fleet Review 2016.

Issued on 06.02.2016
Denomination : 500 Paise

Naval Dockyard Bombay - 250th Anniversary 1986 India

The Naval Dockyard Bombay humble beginning was in 1736 from designing and building small crafts, it has developed into a mammoth organisation for repair of the most sophisticated Indian Naval Warships. The Dockyard has become a symbol of rapid progress and technological advancement from repair and building of wooden hulls in 1736 to the repair and servicing of the most sophisticated and advanced electronic gadgets of today. It is the most modern of the Naval Dockyards in South Asia today.

The dockyard commenced functioning on 11 January, 1736, on 120 acres of land sandwiched between the Gateway of India and the Ballard Pier at the entrance of the channel, a purely indigenous enterprise of the Wadia Brothers as a composite unit for designing and building of ships. However the Bombay and Duncan Docks were commissioned in 1758 and 1857, respectively.The Docks prided themselves for having built 170 war vessels for East India Company, 87 Merchant Ships and 34 War Ships for the Royal Navy, and won world acclaim for excellent workmanship of the vessels. It is nostalgic that the oldest ship afloat in the Royal Navy today ‘HMS Foudroyant 46 guns’, a 1065 tons frigate has been built and launched from these docks in October 1817. The docks changed its function from ship building to repairs with the take over by the British Navy from the Wadias.

Naval Dockyard, Mumbai is the premier ship repair yard of the Indian Navy. With a history of over 275 years, it is one of the largest of its kind in Asia. The yard is the frontliner in technology for repair of ships.

There are mentions about ship building activities at *the Naval Dockyard dating back to 1671. However, the foundations of the modern naval dockyard were established in 1735* Worried by the shortage of oak wood for building ships, the East India Company brought Lowjee Nauserwanjee Wadia, a master ship builder, from Surat to Mumbai in 1736 and assigned him the task of ship construction. He and the next seven generations of Wadia served as the Master Builders for the Company. They built more than 400 ships over a period of 150 years, using malabar teak. The ships made at Bombay Dockyard were among the finest in the world and sailed around the globe.

The pride of the warships built at Bombay Dockyard is HMS Trincomalee built in 1817. It is the world's second oldest ship afloat. The ship is now permanently berthed in Hartlepool in UK. With the advent of the industrial revolution and the introduction of steel as the primary ship-building material, the function of the dockyard changed in 1884 from ship-building to ship repair and maintenance for the Navy.

At present, the dockyard undertakes refit, maintenance and modernisation of ship and submarines of the Western Naval Command. There are more than 100 well-equipped work centres to cater to a range of machinery and equipment fitted on-board ships. The yard also maintains its own fleet of about 70 yard crafts to provide logistic support to warships in harbour. All the workshops and training centres are ISO 9000/2001 certified - a single largest certification of a group of workshops in South Asia.

The dockyard is spread over 138 acres of land overlooking the Gateway of India. It has over four kilometres of jetties and wharves. Specialised repair and testing facilities are available for a wide range of equipment such as diesel and gas turbines, steam propulsion machinery and auxiliaries, radial engines, refrigeration and air conditioning equipment, electrical power systems, weapons, armament and electronics control systems.

The yard pays utmost attention to quality of work. All the work centres of the yard are certified for Quality Management Systems. At present, there are 102 Quality Circles in the dockyard. The yard has participated in national and international Quality Circle conventions.

Safety and environment are given prime importance in the dockyard. The personnel are regularly trained in safety aspects and resort to safe work practices in the demanding conditions onboard. The dockyard is the first among defence organisations to obtain ISO 14001 certification for environment management system in fourteen work centres. The yard also boasts of vermiculture project, rainwater harvesting and waste water recycling plants.

The Naval Civilian Housing Colony at Powai is a plastic-free green colony with model management and amenities. The yard has won numerous awards for its contribution to safety and environment management. In addition, the dockyard houses many heritage buildings among which Bombay Castle is prominent. The dockyard has won Urban Heritage Award from the Mumbai Heritage Society in 2001 for excellent maintenance of Heritage buildings.

The statue of the Unknown Worker installed at the entrance symbolises the recognition of the value that the Naval fleet places in the skills of the personnel as it pays tribute to the yeomen service of thousands of workers who have toiled all these years.

Department of Posts  issued A commemorative postage stamp on the 250th  Anniversary  of the Bombay Dockyard 

Issued  Date: 11.01.1986
Denomination : 250 Paise

India's maritime heritage 2000

The India's maritime

India has a rich maritime heritage and the earliest reference to maritime activities is contained in the Rig Veda. Indian mythology has numerous episodes pertaining to the ocean, the sea and the rivers, with belief that mankind has benefitted from the wealth of seas and ocean. There is plenty of evidence derived from Indian literature, art, sculptures, painting and archeology to establish existence of Indian maritime traditions.

A study of the country's maritime history reveals that the Indian sub-continent exercised supremacy over the Indian Ocean from very early times up to the 13th century. Indians took to the sea for trade and commerce rather than for political ends. Thus, the period up to about 16th century witnessed peaceful sea-borne commerce, cultural and traditional exchange between countries. The Indian Ocean has always been regarded as an area of great significance and India is central to this Ocean.

The beginning of India's maritime history dates back to 3000 BC. During this time, the inhabitants of Indus Valley Civilisation had maritime trade link with Mesopotamia. The excavation at Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa has revealed ample evidence that maritime activities flourished during this period.

The discovery of a dry-dock at Lothal (about 400 km Southwest of Ahmedabad) gives an insight into the knowledge of tides, winds and other nautical factors that existed during that period. The dry-dock at Lothal dates back to 2400 BC and is regarded as the first such facility, anywhere in the world, equipped to berth and service ships.

Vedic literature has numerous references to boats, ships and sea voyages. The Rig Veda is the oldest evidence on record that refers to Varuna, the Lord of the Sea, and credits him with the knowledge of the ocean routes which were used by ships. The Rig Veda mentions merchants sailing ships across the oceans to foreign countries in quest of trade and wealth. The epics Ramayana and Mahabharata have references to ships and sea travels. Even the Puranas have several stories of sea voyages.

The discovery of Lothal port and dock (circa 2400-1900 B.C.) bear testimony to this. After the landing of Vasco da Gama in Calicut in 1498 A.D., the Portuguese slowly gained influence and started interfering in the trade. Mohammed Kunjali Marakkar, the first Admiral of Calicut who offered to the Zamorin his sword, ships and services, dedicated his entire energies in fighting the foreign domination of Indian seas. He was the first of the four Kunjalis who played a heroic part in the Naval wars with the Portuguese.

The most famous of the Marakkars was Kunjali IV, who fought the Portuguese more fiercely than his predecessors and with far greater success. However, the initial successes appear to have made him arrogant to the extent of ignoring the authority of the Zamorin. The Portuguese clinched a deal with Zamorin to suppress the 'rebel' Admiral, and in 1600 jointly laid siege of his fort, bringing to an end the long tradition of the legendary Marakkars. Kunjali IV who surrendered to the Zamorin was executed in Goa.

The stamp design shows the war-paroe, a small craft used by the Kunjalis, which, manned by just 30-40 men each, could be rowed through lagoons and narrow waters.

The DOP  honour of these great  Admirals who wrote a heroic chapter in India’s Maritime History.

Issued  Date : 17.12.2000
Denomination : 300 Paisa

Navy Day in India 1981

Navy Day in India 1981

Navy day in India is observed on 4th of December every year to celebrate the magnificence, achievements and role of the naval force to the country. Indian navy is the marine branch (means naval branch) of the India’s armed forces which led by the President of India as a Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Navy. The Maratha emperor, Chhatarpati Shivaji Bhosle of the 17th century is considered as “Father of the Indian Navy”.

Navy of the India plays a great role in securing the marine borders of the country as well as enhancing the international relations of India through many ways like seaport visits, joint exercises, humanitarian missions, calamity relief and etc. Modern Indian navy has as undergone speedy renovation in order to improve the position of navy to the Indian Ocean region. According to the report, the strength of the Indian Navy includes of 58,350 personnel, an aircraft carrier, a big transport dock, 15 frigates, 8 guided missile destroyers, 24 corvettes, 13i conventional submarines, 1 nuclear attack submarine, 30 patrol vessels, 7 mine countermeasure vessels including variety of auxiliary ships.

India would celebrate the 45nd anniversary of the Indian navy this year on 4th of December in order to remember the daredevil attack on the naval base of Pakistan, at Karachi. In order to celebrate this occasion, the Western Naval Command of the Indian navy (headquarter is Mumbai) bring their ships and sailors for making the celebration excellent.

All the activities which to be conducted on the celebration of the event are planned by the eastern Naval Command at Visakhapatnam. Wreath laying ceremony is held at the war memorial (at RK Beach) followed by the operational demonstration to show the potential and resourcefulness of the naval submarines, ships, aircrafts and unique forces. Various aircrafts are shown by flying over the RK Beach that’s why people are requested by the authorities to keep the beach clean and litter free (avoid throwing food items) to keep away the birds in that particular area for smooth demonstration of the aircraft (as presence of birds in the sky because of food items may cause hazards to the aircraft).

*Why Navy Day is Celebrated*

Navy Day in India is celebrated to commemorate the courageous attack on the Karachi harbor during the Indo-Pakistan war (at 4th of December in the year 1971) by the Indian Naval Missile boats as well as to reverence all the martyrs of that war. It is celebrated using a particular theme (like “Safe Seas and Secure Coasts for a strong Nation”) of the year for making it more powerful and potent.

A community service for the navy of India is conducted by the Naval Institute of Aeronautical Technology (NIAT) from 24th of November to the 26th of November at Good Hope Old Age Home, Fort Kochi in which the students from the Navy Children School Chair take parts to entertain the inmates and Naval doctors (from INHS Sanjivani) provides medical checkup to the inmates. Navy Ball, Navy Queen contests including the Navy fest are held to celebrate the navy day.

At this day the warships and aircrafts of the Indian naval are open to the visitors such as school children. 

Don't  miss it if you  get the  chance  to  visit  warship

Issued Date : 04/12/1981
Denomination : 35 Paisa

Issued for : The Indian Postal Department was privileged to issue a special postage stamp on the Indian Navy to commemorate Navy Day