Andhra Pradesh - Visakhapatnam   

INS Amba decommissioned

Special Correspondent

A sad moment for the Navy, says eastern command chief

SOLEMN OCCASION: Naval personnel handing over the flag of INS Amba, a submarine depot ship, to ENC chief Sureesh Mehta during its decommissioning ceremony in Visakhapatnam on Saturday. -Photo: C.V. Subrahmanyam

VISAKHAPATNAM: INS Amba (elephant), the Russian-built last naval ship that had extensively participated in the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war was decommissioned at a ceremony at the Eastern Naval Command base here by Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Command Vice-Admiral Sureesh Mehta.

As the sun was setting, the naval band played the last post and the naval ensign and the national flag were lowered from the 38-year old ship's flag mast. Simultaneously, the long pennant hoisted on the ship was also lowered symbolizing end of her services to the country and the navy.

Saga of service

The ship which was commissioned on December 28, 1968, by Capt M.R. Shunker at Odessa in the former USSR, was basically providing operational and administrative support to the submarine squadron. In fact, she was instrumental in extending the `sea-legs' of the Navy. With her intrinsic heavy duty repair bays, torpedo workshops, medical facilities and huge accommodation space, INS Amba enabled long deployments of submarines away from the base ports both in the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal.

The ship which also has a helicopter deck, carried Chetak and Sea King type of helicopters during operations. Amba, with a displacement of 8016 tonnes, could cruise at a maximum speed of 17 knots and it has two tubes torpedoes and two 76.2 mm guns. So far 30 officers have commanded the ship and the last one to command it was Commodore S.C.S. Varma who took the command this year.

Vice-Admiral Sureesh Mehta who bid adieu to the ship, told mediapersons that it was the ``saddest moment'' for the Navy as the ship had done a wonderful service. Anyway, as the navy grows "old has to leave way for the new,'' he said, adding that soon a replacement for the ship would be decided.

Commodore (retd) Gopal Rao, who commanded the ship during 1972-73, and participated in the Indo-Pakistan war, shared his experiences.

He told mediapersons that the ship was very useful while the Indian Navy attacked Karachi and sank two of Pakistan naval ships. "It served the requirement of the Navy very well and was a valuable one to the navy,'' he said and added philosophically: "all good things have to come to an end at some time.''

Other former naval officers - Vimal Kumar, P.M. Joshi, B.K. Munjal and T.P. Ashok - who too commanded the ship during its life, were among the invitees for the ceremony.

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