- Coast Guard’s Extra Fast Patrol Vessel decommissioned with full Armed Forces honours after 20 years of distinguished service
- Named after Mahatma Gandhi’s devoted disciple, the vessel bows out after safeguarding India’s maritime interests
- Guard of Honour, lowering of Coast Guard Ensign mark the end of an illustrious operational chapter
- DIG Manjeet Singh Gill pays tribute to the ship and her crews for their yeoman service to the nation
NE DEFENCE BUREAU
AHMEDABAD, AUG 22
As the sun dipped into the Arabian Sea, the Indian Coast Guard’s colours came down for the final time aboard ICGS Meera Behn—a poignant sunset that brought the vessel’s two-decade-long voyage of duty, vigilance and service to the nation to a dignified close.
Indian Coast Guard Ship Meera Behn, an Extra Fast Patrol Vessel (XFPV) renowned for speed and operational agility, was ceremonially decommissioned at Okha Port with full Armed Forces honours on Saturday.
The sunset ceremony was presided over by Deputy Inspector General Manjeet Singh Gill, Commander, Coast Guard District Headquarters No. 15, Okha, and attended by civil and military dignitaries, the ship’s Commanding Officer and crew, besides personnel from Coast Guard units stationed at Okha.
A final lowering of the colours
The ceremony commenced with an impressive Guard of Honour parade, setting the tone for the solemn farewell to a vessel that had served the nation for more than two decades.
As the sun set, the Coast Guard Ensign was hauled down for the final time, followed by the lowering of the Decommissioning Pennant, formally marking the end of ICGS Meera Behn’s active service.
Throughout her distinguished career, the vessel had proudly flown the National Flag and Coast Guard Ensign, reflecting the commitment of successive crews who operated her in the service of India’s maritime security.
Built by Goa Shipyard Limited, ICGS Meera Behn was commissioned on July 25, 2006. The vessel belonged to the water-jet-propelled Extra Fast Patrol Vessel series, known for its high speed and operational agility.
Under the command of Commandant (JG) Thinkal Tharakan, the ship completed its final chapter of active service before Tharakan rendered the final decommissioning report to DIG Manjeet Singh Gill, formally concluding the vessel’s operational tenure.
A name rooted in India’s freedom struggle
The vessel’s farewell carried an added historical resonance from the remarkable woman whose name it bears.
Meera Behn, born Madeleine Slade, was a devoted disciple of Mahatma Gandhi and a prominent figure in India’s freedom movement. Deeply influenced by Gandhian ideals, she dedicated her life to the service of India.
Recognising her unwavering devotion and commitment, Mahatma Gandhi bestowed upon her the name “Meera”, recalling the legendary saint-poet Meerabai.
Thus, the vessel’s name itself represented a legacy of service, sacrifice and unwavering commitment to the nation—values reflected in the ship’s own operational journey.
‘Yeoman service’ to India’s maritime interests
Addressing the crew and distinguished guests, DIG Manjeet Singh Gill paid tribute to the exceptional contribution of ICGS Meera Behn to the Indian Coast Guard.
He commended the ship and all personnel who had served aboard her for the “yeoman service” rendered faithfully over two decades in safeguarding the nation’s maritime interests.
The decommissioning ceremony brought together the ship, her final crew and generations of Coast Guard personnel in a fitting farewell to a vessel whose operational life was defined by speed, vigilance and service.
With the lowering of her ensign at sunset, ICGS Meera Behn’s active-duty journey ended—but the legacy of the crews who sailed her in the service of the nation remains etched in the maritime history of the Indian Coast Guard.
