Navy Day (India)


Navy Day in India is celebrated on 4 December every year to recognize the achievements and role of the Indian Navy to the country. 4 December was chosen as on that day in 1971, during Operation Trident, the Indian Navy sank four Pakistani vessels including PNS Khaibar, killing hundreds of Pakistani Navy personnel. On this day, those who martyred in the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971 are also remembered.
During the days leading up to Navy Day, during Navy Week and the days prior to that, various events take place such as an open sea swimming competition, ships are open for visitors and school children, there is a veteran sailors lunch, performances by the Naval Symphonic Orchestra take place, an Indian Navy Inter School Quiz Competition happens, a Navy Half Marathon as well as an air display for school children and the beating retreat and tattoo ceremonies happen.

Overview

Background

The Indian Navy is the naval branch of the Indian Armed Forces and is led by the President of India as Commander-in-Chief. The Maratha Emperor, Shivaji of the 17th century is considered as "Father of the Indian Navy".
The Indian Navy has an important role in securing the marine borders of the country as well as enhancing the international relations of India through seaport visits, joint exercises, humanitarian calamity relief and so on. The modern Indian Navy has as undergone speedy renovation in order to improve its position in the Indian Ocean region. The strength of the Indian Navy includes over 67,000 personnel and about 150 ships and submarines.

Reason for celebrating Navy Day

Navy Day in India originally coincided with the Royal Navy's Trafalgar Day. In 1944, the Royal Indian Navy celebrated Navy Day in October, the month of its commissioning in 1944. In 1945, after World War 2, Navy Day was celebrated on 1 December. On the night of 30 November 1945, on the eve of the Navy Day celebrations, Indian ratings painted the slogans such as Inqualab Zindabad. But the old traditions of the British Navy gave way to new reasons to celebrate the day.
Navy Day in India is now celebrated to commemorate Operation Trident, which was the attack on the Karachi harbor during the Indo-Pakistan war by the Indian Naval Missile boats as well in to reverence all the martyrs of that war. During the attack, Indian sailors communicated in Russian to avoid detection. No Indian sailors were killed in the attack.

Navy Week Celebrations

Various events take place during Navy Week with the finale on Navy Day. On this day the warships and aircraft of the Indian Navy are open to visitors such as school children. The Military Photo Exhibition is also performed by photojournalists of the Ernakulum in the Navy fest. Other events such as blood donation camps are also held. A community service for the Indian Navy is conducted by the Naval Institute of Aeronautical Technology at Good Hope Old Age Home, Fort Kochi in which the students from the Navy Children School Chair take turns to entertain the inmates and Naval doctors provides medical checkup to the inmates. The Navy Ball and Navy Queen contests including the Navy fest are held to celebrate Navy Day.

Themes

It is celebrated using a particular theme of the year: