INS Vikrant Memorial unveiled

Mumbai, Jan 25: On the eve of the 67th Republic Day, the memorial to India's first aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, was today unveiled at Naval Dockyard opposite Lion Gate in South Mumbai.

"The Vikrant Memorial is a living testimony of deep gratitude to a majestic ship from all those who served on her as she created the legacy as pioneer of Indian Navy's Aviation Arm," a defence release said.

"The memorial is a sculpture created with pieces of metal recovered from the ship-breaking yard and belonged to the decommissioned ship," it said.

The first aircraft carrier of the Indian Navy was commissioned in 1961 as INS Vikrant and after 36 years of glorious service to the Nation the carrier was decommissioned in 1997. During the period of her service, INS Vikrant actively projected India's Sea Power in the Indian Ocean region.

The ship saw action in the operations in the Bay of Bengal during the 1971 Indo-Pak War and played an instrumental role in the defeat of Pakistan that led to the creation of a new Nation.

"It was owing to her presence in the Bay of Bengal, that the Country's promulgation of contraband control was effectively enforced by the use of carrier based air power," the defence release added. Vikrant could not be retained and finally had to be sent to the ship-breaking yard in 2014, it said.

PTI