Sitaram Agrawal
INS Chilka: the premier Training Establishment of the Indian Navy located on the shores of Chilka Lake in Khurda District, Odisha celebrated “Indian Navy Day” on 04 Dec 20 with the theme ‘Indian Navy – Combat Ready, Credible and Cohesive’. This year also marks the beginning of 50th Anniversary of India’s glorious victory in the Indo-Pak War of 1971 and is being celebrated countrywide as ‘Swarnim Vijay Varsh’.
Commodore Rituraj Sahu, Naval Officer-in-Charge (Odisha) and Commanding Officer INS Chilka laid a floral wreath at the War Memorial – Prerna Sthal , in the Naval Base to pay homage to the Naval Warriors who made the supreme sacrifice in the “Line of Duty” in Service of the Nation.
In his address to Naval Personnel during the occasion, he expressed his gratitude to the entire Naval fraternity and families for their Selfless Service to the Nation, always during peace, during calamities as well as in the frontline duties. He also expressed his appreciation to all, especially for lending a helping-hand to the needy population in and around Chilka Naval Base and Orphange during the challenging COVID-19 Pandemic.
A Naval Band Concert, encapsulating Patriotic Martial Tunes, was organised on the occasion with strict adherence to COVID-19 Protocols and was witnessed by the “Chilka Parivaar” Naval Community.
In addition, a ‘Presentation-cum-Panel Discussion’ on ‘ The Role of Indian Navy in 1971 War’ was conducted for the ab-initio Naval Trainee Sailors which emphasised on the strategic and decisive Battles of the Indian Navy which were instrumental for the victory of India in the 1971 Indo-Pak Conflict.
In order to make the next generation aware about the ‘ Career Avenues in the Indian Navy ‘ a Webinar was organised for the Children of KV Chilka . A ‘Ship Model Making Activity’ was also conducted for the Children of Naval Kindergarten during the occasion.
