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Monday, September 27, 2010
"BUILDER'S NAVY", Warship Constructions in India - A Philatelic Overview
The Indian Navy's resolute pursuit of indigenous design efforts, combined with endeavours of Indian Shipyards in construction of warships and submarines have laid the foundation of what is termed as "BUILDER'S NAVY"
The Navy of Independent India made a modest beginning with half a dozen Destroyers and Frigates,a few Mine Sweepers along with a Corvette and a Survey vessel inherited from the Royal Indian Navy. The creation of a Corps of Naval Constructors in 1956 (not 1954, mentioned in the brochure published by the Dept. of Posts), setting up of a Central Design Office in 1964, establishment of Directorate of Naval Ship Design in 1970, followed by Directorate of Ship Production and Submarine Design has metamorphosed into the controllerate of Warships Production and Acquisitions at the Naval Headquarters.
The Corps of Naval Construction, since its inception on 23 November 1956 has rendered yeoman service towards the growth and maintenance of the Naval fleet and has effectively contributed towards transformation of the Indian Navy to a "Builders" blue water Navy.(Excerpts from the Army Postal Service brochure).
Mumbai based Mazagon Dock Ltd.(MDL), a Government of India Undertaking, under Ministry of Defence. Until the 19th. century Mazagon Docks used to build wooden hulled warships for the British Navy. On 19th. April 1961 the Government of India took over the shipyard from the then owner the British "P&O Line" with a view to build large frigate sized warships in India.
Govt. of India's decision to build Leander class Frigates at Mazagon Dock Ltd. based on the designs obtained from the Ministry of Defence (MOD), U.K. in early 1960s marked the early steps of modern warship building in the country.MDL in collaboration with Vickers Defence Systems and Yarrow (Shipbuilders)Ltd.,
"Flags at Sea", "Ships & Ship building" and Philately.: "BUILDER'S NAVY", Warship Constructions in India - A Philatelic Overview
"BUILDER'S NAVY", Warship Constructions in India - A Philatelic Overview
The Indian Navy's resolute pursuit of indigenous design efforts, combined with endeavours of Indian Shipyards in construction of warships and submarines have laid the foundation of what is termed as "BUILDER'S NAVY"
[FONT="] Naval Dockyard, Bombay was established in 1736,the maxim card[/FONT][FONT="] depicts Dockyard'sDuncan Drydocks. It is the oldest Dockyard east of Suez which commenced its Ship-building and Repair activities in 1736.[/FONT] [FONT="]HMS Minden[/FONT][FONT="], an Indian teakwood man-of-war was the first ship to be launched in 1810 from Duncan Dock, Bombay. This was also the first ship commissioned in the Royal Navy from India.[/FONT][FONT="]HMS Minden[/FONT][FONT="] was a 74-gun third-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 19 June 1810. She was named after the German town Minden and the Battle of Minden of 1759,[/FONT][FONT="]a decisive victory of British and Prussian forces over France in the Seven Years' War. [/FONT]
[FONT="]The "Star-spangled Banner", the National anthem of USA was composed on board HMS MINDEN in 1814 by[/FONT][FONT="] Francis Scott Key[/FONT][FONT="] in Baltimore harbour when he was a prisoner of the British on board this ship.[/FONT]
The Navy of Independent India made a modest beginning with half a dozen Destroyers and Frigates,a few Mine Sweepers along with a Corvette and a Survey vessel inherited from the Royal Indian Navy. The creation of a Corps of Naval Constructors in 1956 (not 1954, mentioned in the brochure published by the Dept. of Posts), setting up of a Central Design Office in 1964, establishment of Directorate of Naval Ship Design in 1970, followed by Directorate of Ship Production and Submarine Design has metamorphosed into the controllerate of Warships Production and Acquisitions at the Naval Headquarters.
The Corps of Naval Construction, since its inception on 23 November 1956 has rendered yeoman service towards the growth and maintenance of the Naval fleet and has effectively contributed towards transformation of the Indian Navy to a "Builders" blue water Navy.(Excerpts from the Army Postal Service brochure).
Mumbai based Mazagon Dock Ltd.(MDL), a Government of India Undertaking, under Ministry of Defence. Until the 19th. century Mazagon Docks used to build wooden hulled warships for the British Navy. On 19th. April 1961 the Government of India took over the shipyard from the then owner the British "P&O Line" with a view to build large frigate sized warships in India.
Govt. of India's decision to build Leander class Frigates at Mazagon Dock Ltd. based on the designs obtained from the Ministry of Defence (MOD), U.K. in early 1960s marked the early steps of modern warship building in the country.MDL in collaboration with Vickers Defence Systems and Yarrow (Shipbuilders)Ltd.,
"Flags at Sea", "Ships & Ship building" and Philately.: "BUILDER'S NAVY", Warship Constructions in India - A Philatelic Overview