NE NEWS SERVICE
AHMEDABAD, JUNE 13
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation on Saturday inaugurated the decommissioned INS Khukri as museum in Diu.
Khukri Museum, built onboard the decommissioned #INSKhukri was inaugurated today by Hon'ble Union Home Minister & Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah at #Diu in presence of Shri Praful K Patel, Hon'ble Administrator of U/T #DNHDD & VAdm Ajendra Bahadur Singh #FOCINC(W). #WNC pic.twitter.com/pwNDLGtvJW
— Western Naval Command (@IN_WNC) June 11, 2022
INS Khukri (P49), the first indigenous missile corvette of the Indian Navy, was transferred to the Diu Administration on January 26, 2022 after 32 years of glorious service to the nation and Navy, to be converted to a ship-museum.
Praful K Patel, Administrator of Union Territory of DNHDD & Lakshadweep, and Vice Admiral Ajendra Bahadur Singh, PVSM, AVSM, VSM, ADC, FOC-in-C (West) were present on the occasion..
With this, the newly-inaugurated ship-museum and the existing Khukri Memorial that has a scaled-down model of the first INS Khukri (F149), a Blackwood class
anti-submarine frigate will be standing symbols of gallant deeds executed by men in the Navy in defending the maritime interests of the nation.
Rear Admiral Manish Chadha, VSM, Flag Officer Gujarat Naval Area, Commodore Nitin Bishnoi, Naval Officer-in-Charge Gujarat, and other naval personnel were also present during the inauguration.
During his interactions on the occasion, Vice Admiral Ajendra Bahadur Singh highlighted that the first INS Khukri was lost in action in the 1971 war off Diu. Her reincarnation, the indigenously built corvette, was commissioned into the Navy in 1989 and served with distinction till being decommissioned in December 2021.
The presence in Diu of both INS Khukris – the Museum (second avatar) and a Memorial (first Khukri) is an apt tribute to the valiant crew that manned the two ships. Even more important, it can remind Indian youth of our impressive maritime capabilities and legacy, and inspire them to consider national service as the main purpose and aspiration of their lives.
