A Tribute to Mother Bases
INS Shivaji, Lonavla: INS Shivaji had its humble origin as replacement for the ‘Stokers’ Training School’ at HMIS Dalhousie, in Naval Dockyard (Bombay). Commissioned by the then Governor of Bombay Sir John Colville as HMIS Shivaji on 15 February 1945 it became INS Shivaji on 26 January 1950. Since then Shivaji has dynamically evolved into a premier technical training institution of the Navy keeping pace with the fast changing technology in all facets of marine engineering. To provide scope for further expansion and to isolate the trainee sailors from the country’s politics, the Royal Indian Navy decided to shift the training establishment from Bombay to a quieter place.
While the Britishers were on the lookout for a suitable location coincidentally an air accident took place in the Sahyadri Ranges. Those who came to investigate the accident found more than what they sought. Sandwiched between a sheer vertical rock face, covering the entire height of the hill range (the Tiger’s Leap) on one side and another imposing rock formation (the Duke’s Nose or Nagphani) on the other, was this flat piece of land. Its tranquility and beauty held one spell bound, to be disturbed only by the occasional cry of an infant from a nearly village, Kurvande. Even today this piece of land holds that bit of magic to any visitor.
This place has the right combination of all factors that contribute for a good training establishment. It has a salubrious climate, a natural outcome of its location up in the hills and wide open space, with imposing terrain for a variety of outdoor adventure activities. It was far enough from Bombay and Pune to isolate it from the maddening crowds and some of the politically explosive occurrences. No wonder this spot was immediately finalised for the establishment by Commander Nott, Chief of Staff to the Flag Officer, Bombay.
Lieutenant Commander Joe Nuttal was given the responsibility of executing the move under the guidance of Lieutenant Commander John Coverdale Smith, the officer-in-charge of the Mechanical Training Establishment, who went on to become the first Commanding Officer of HMIS Shivaji.
INS Valsura, Jamnagar: The Second World War saw a sudden spurt in the use of electricity on board warships, with intensive use of radio equipment, early warning and gunnery radar and introduction of computers and fire control systems. The course of the war soon determined that torpedo training was very much required and as a consequence, electrical training. A survey conducted by the Royal Indian Navy found the sea around Rozi Island, Nawanagar State very suitable for torpedo running and depth charge firing. The sheltered fishing port of Bedi nearby was identified as the best site for berthing torpedo boats. Rozi was already a flourishing port used by cargo as well as passenger ships coming from Karachi, as far as Aden and also other ports in Kutch. Rozi port was also connected to Jamnagar by road and a railway, which ran up to the jetty. Another Important consideration was the need of an establishment to give administrative cover to the combined operation base called ‘Port F’ at Khambalia, which was 30 miles off Jamnagar.
Consequently, the Government approached the ruler of Nawanagar State, Colonel His Highness Digvijaysinhji Jadeja Saheb Bahadur, GCIE, KCSI, ADC, Jamsaheb, to donate the land for setting up of the Torpedo School. The Jamsaheb, not only agreed to part with 38 acres of land from his game reserve on Rozi Island for a token rent of Re. 1 per annum, but also became an enthusiastic supporter of the project.
The name chosen for the new Torpedo School, Valsura, was derived from the combination of two Tamil words, ‘Vaalu’ and ‘Sorrah’, meaning Sword and Fish respectively. The choice of the name was considered appropriate because a variety of Swordfish is a found off the coast of Saurashtra. The crest of the newly started school showed a Swordfish placed amidst two crossed torpedoes and a mine with the Latin Motto ‘Valsura Semper Viret” meaning ‘Valsura shall always be victorious’.
The commissioning of Valsura was fixed for Tuesday 15 Dec 1942. So while the world was being torn asunder by strife and devastation caused by a mad desire for power, in this remote corner of the British India, with the sea lapping quietly in the distance, a tiny spark came to life. Jamsaheb subsequently donated another 600 acres of land to Valsura. In due course it changed from “Torpedo and Electrical” School to “Electrical School”.
When India became republic on 26 Jan 1950, the HMIS prefix was replaced by INS. A new Crest had also to be designed, since the existing crest did not reflect the true raison d’etre of the Electrical School. The Swordfish fish was retained in the new Crest shown leaning out from the sea with three streaks of lightning emanating from its head. The motto was changed to “Thasya Bhasa Sarvamidam Vibhati” which is an extract from the Upanishad meaning “The Light that Emanates from here, Illuminates all” Motto & Crest: The crest of INS Valsura depicts a swordfish with streaks of lightning emanating from it. The motto “Tasya Bhasa Sarvamidam Vibhati” means “The light that emanates from here, illuminates all” , signifying the role of ‘Sparks ’ (nickname for Electrical branch personnel).
Shipwright School, Vizag (SWS) : Located in a picturesque setting amidst Yarada and Simhachalam hill range, the sylvan surroundings of some 250 acres of natural beauty. The Shipwright School was established at Naval Barracks, Mumbai (Now INS Angre) in 1943, for training Shipwright Artificers of the Indian Navy. As the school grew in stature a need was felt for greater infrastructure and space, suitable for a full fledged training establishment, preferably in the vicinity of a Naval Dockyard and a Ship Building Yard. The present premises at Visakhapatnam was identified as suitable in view of availability of sufficient land, in proximity to Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam and Hindustan Shipyard Limited and thus Shipwright School was shifted here in Aug 1981. The Constructors’ Training Office, which was a part of the Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam, was shifted to the Shipwright School in 1986.
INS Garuda (NIAT), Kochi: The original airstrip near Kochi was built by the Cochin Port Trust to transport senior officials of the British Harbour Corps from the Madras Presidency for supervising the development of modern Kochi port in 1936. During World War II, the rudimentary air strip was taken over by the Royal Air Force (RAF) in 1941 and expanded to establish a RAF experimental station. The Indian Air Force Volunteer Reserve (IAFVR) No. 5 Coastal Defence Flight, flying Westland Wapiti II aircraft was based at the station in May 1941. In December 1942, IAFVR No. 5 was disbanded, and resources transferred to HMS Garuda in Peelamedu, Tamil Nadu. In 1943, the Kochi facilities were transferred to the Royal Navy (RN) which established an aircraft repair yard at the location to assemble aircraft shipped to India for the war effort. HMS Garuda was decommissioned in September 1946 at the end of the war, and the Kochi infrastructure was transferred to the DGCA.
The Indian Navy acquired the first Short Sealand aircraft on 13 January, 1953. The aviation facilities at Kochi were transferred to the Indian Navy and temporarily placed under the command of naval base, INS Venduruthy, on 1 January 1953 to prepare for operating the aircraft. The first Sealand aircraft arrived in Kochi from the UK on 4 February 1953. The facilities were commissioned as a fully operational naval air station under the command of the Indian Naval Air Arm on 11 May, 1953 and re-named INS Garuda. Commodore G. Douglas, was its first Commanding Officer. INS Garuda is a major naval air training center as well as an operational base.
INS Garuda has become the `cradle of naval aviation‘. Every pilot, Observer, Aviation Technical Officer, Air Artificers and Other Air Technical Sailor undergoes professional training at this establishment. From a simple beginning in 1953, Garuda has spread its wings with over 150 officers and 1700 sailors borne in its books. Amidst the lush green coconut groves and cool backwaters of Kerala, the ‘cradle’ swings gently and hidden beneath the veneer of this gentleness lies the firm determination to surmount all difficulties and meet any challenge.
Naval Aviation & Naval Institute of Aeronautical Technology: The Naval Air Arm formally took birth with the commissioning of INS Garuda, a naval air station based at Kochi on 11 May 1953. A little earlier, on 04 February 1953, the first Indian Naval Aircraft – the Short Sealand [IN101] – landed at Kochi. IN101 joined the Fleet Requirement Unit, which later became the first Indian Naval Air Squadron – INAS 550 – on 17 June 1959.
The Naval Institute of Aeronautical Technology – established on 03 June 1957 at Kochi – is the alma mater for the air technical personnel, and is an ISO 9001 recognised establishment.
INS Hansa, Debolim, Goa: INS Hansa was commissioned on 5 September, 1961 at Sulur near Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. It was initially co-located with the Sulur Air Force Base of the Indian Air Force. It was then home to INAS 551 squadron, operating de Havilland Vampire aircraft, as well as training establishments for Hawker Sea Hawk and Breguet Alize aircraft. After the liberation of Goa from Portuguese occupation, the Dabolim airfield was transferred to the Indian Navy. INS Hansa was then moved from Sulur to Dabolim on 18 June, 1964.
Wonderfully composed… Compact and informative