For the first time ever, an Indian Navy ship was presented with an on-the-spot honour by the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS). Generally, ships and Navy personnel are awarded on events of national importance, such as Independence Day, Republic Day and Navy Day.

However, INS Nireekshak, a Dive Support and Submarine Rescue Vessel of the Indian Navy was awarded the on-the-spot ‘Chief of the Naval Staff Unit Citation’, when the Navy Chief visited the ship on Monday, in Kerala. 

Admiral R Hari Kumar, the Indian Navy Chief visited INS Nireekshak under Southern Naval Command (Indian Navy’s Training Command) at Kochi and interacted with the diving team of the ship. The team has been involved in salvage operations at a depth of 219 metres in the Arabian Sea.

This is the deepest salvage operation carried out in the country’s waters. During his address to the ship’s crew, the CNS complimented the dedicated effort of the ship in conducting the deep diving operations. 

He exhorted the undaunted spirit of the ‘Men Behind the Machine’ and presented commendations to the divers, for deep sea diving & undertaking salvage ops under the most challenging circumstances.

Built by Mazgaon Shipbuilders in 1985, the ship has been in service with the Navy since 1989 and was commissioned in the year 1995. INS Nireekshak has been part of various diving operations and holds the record for the deepest dive carried out in the country to a depth of 257 metres.

Nireekshak had also recently completed a solemn dive off the Gujarat coast to pay homage by laying a wreath at 80 metres depth, the resting site of erstwhile INS Khukri which sank during the 1971 war. INS Khukri, a British-origin anti-submarine warfare frigate has been the only Indian Naval vessel to have been lost in combat.

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