VISAKHAPATNAM: Indian Navy showed its prowess through an ‘Operational Demonstration’ on Navy Day celebrations at RK Beach here on Sunday afternoon in the august presence of President Droupadi Murmu, the Andhra Pradesh governor as also central and state ministers.
In a spectacular show, around five lakh people attended the celebrations on the vast expanse of the beach road. The event commemorated the Indian Navy’s achievements in ‘Operation Trident’ during the 1971 Indo-Pak War.
This was for the first time the Navy Day Celebrations are held outside the national capital.
President Murmu, as the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, witnessed the Operational Demonstration as the Guest of Honour.
The President said India was inherently a maritime nation. “Oceans played a vital role in the growth and prosperity of the country.”
Indian Navy, she said, is growing from strength to strength and “I am sure the Forces would provide the umbrella of security to our assets.’’
The operational demonstration showcased the capabilities of Indian Naval ships, submarines, aircraft, helicopters and Special Forces from the Eastern, Western and Southern Naval Commands. The event concluded with a Beating the Retreat, a sunset ceremony and illumination by ships at anchorage.
During the event, 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 on the Navy Wellness and Welfare and a new naval song titled ‘Call of the Blue Waters’ written by Prasoon Joshi and sung by Shankar Mahadevan were also released.
Navy Day 2022 also marked a special day for the Indian Navy as the President’s Standard, a new Indian Navy Crest and the CNS Standard were unveiled. The President’s Standard was displayed for the first time during the naval Guard of Honour inspected by the President on her arrival here.
The event was also witnessed by Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan, Union tourism minister G Kishen Reddy, Minister of state for defence Ajay Bhutt, AP speaker Tammineni Sitaram and state ministers Gudivada Amarnath and Vidadala Rajani.
The President laid in virtually mode the foundation stone for several projects in Andhra Pradesh. These include the National Open Air Range (NOAR) for Kurnool, the Advanced Night Vision Products Factory at Nimmalur, a highway from Rayachoti to Angallu on NH-340, a four-lane RBOB on NH-205, a six-lane grade separated structure, slip-roads at ITC junction on NH-44 in Kurnool town, service roads, and highways in various areas in the suburbs of Done, the Ekalavya Model Residential School in GL Puram, West Godavari and ASR districts, a Science Centre at Rajamahendravaram, Road widening works on NH-342 from Mudigubba to Puttaparthi undertaken by the Central Road Transport and the National Highways Department.
Around 5 lakh people attended the Navy Day celebrations at the beach road in Visakhapatnam.
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