On December 8, 1967, India welcomed its very first submarine, INS Kalvari (S23), which joined the Indian Navy and served it for 29 years. Since then, every year, December 8 in India is celebrated as Submarine Day to honour the remarkable memory and its historic significance.
INS Kalvari was built and commissioned in Riga, then a part of the USSR, which is the current-day capital of Latvia. On December 8 1967, Riga was experiencing its deadliest winter, surrounded by freezing, icy cold water, where INS Kalvari (S23) was handed over to India with full honours. Its historic voyage was far from easy, as the Suez Canal was closed due to geopolitical reasons, which made the duration of the voyage longer. The route included stops at Le Havre, Casablanca, Las Palmas, Conakry, and Port Louis.
After spending months at sea, INS Kalvari was sighted along the coastlines of Visakhapatnam, the very first Indian port she ever sailed into. The moment INS Kalvari sailed into India, it transformed Indian maritime capability forever.
The docking of Kalvari in Vizag marked the beginning of an inseparable bond between the city and the Indian Navy’s submarine arm. The city soon went on to play a crucial part in the Indian Navy. It became the home base for both conventional and nuclear submarines, serving as the location for all submarine training, repairs, and operational planning. Vizag holds a nostalgic and significant place in the hearts of submariners, divers, officers, and sailors, as it has nurtured them and their families.
After battling the vast oceans, creating a legacy and finding its forever home in Vizag, INS Kalvari was decommissioned on May 31, 1996, and its full hull was scrapped. One remaining sail from her is now on display in Vizag, and the day of her commissioning is celebrated as Submarine Day, symbolising its power and significance in India’s naval force.
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