INS Mumbai celebrates 25 years; ex-crew recall their ‘baby in the womb’

INS Mumbai the indigenous 6000ton missile destroyer fitted with lethal weapons that played key roles in military standoffs could send a shiver down its enemiesrsquo spine There are only a few places in Mumbai where you could hear the same ship being recalled as a ldquobaby in the wombrdquo On the pleasantly crisp morning of INS Mumbairsquos silver jubilee January 22 we made our way to one of these places mdash INS Trata in WorliVeterans and officials who served INS Mumbai pay tribute at JK Kapur Circle PICSSAYYED SAMEER ABEDIAt precisely 925 am or 0925 hours in this case Commodore Bhupesh Tater Retd led a short march from INS Trata to the JK Kapur Circle where a model of INS Mumbai is on display With a swift salute the group wished the warship that they had all served many more years of operation ldquoI saw it being built from the keel It was unique because the Indian Navy went beyond its role to pour their might and soul into collaborating with the Mazagon Docks to build INS Mumbai Although she is based in Visakhapatnam now we continue to call ourselves the lsquoMumbaikars of INS Mumbairsquordquo reveals Taterleft Captain Jagmohan Retd chairman and director of Mazagon Dock Limited receives a memento from Commodore Tater Retd and Commander Bhagwat Retd PIC COURTESYBHUPESH TATEROver hot tea and firm handshakes those who served the ship open up about their fond memoriesReady for sacrificeIn 1997 I was appointed to the warship inspection team where I oversaw the building of INS Mumbai From seeing her as a baby in the womb at Mazagon Dock I went on to operate the ship in 2002 after its commission During the IndiaPakistan standoff of 200102 aka Operation Parakram we would patrol off the coast of Karachi It was one such day when my fleet commander declared ldquoBe ready for ultimate sacrifice if need berdquo It was a feeling I cannot put in wordsCommander Alok Bhagwat RetdDecked like a brideI was at the commissioning ceremony of the ship on January 22 2001 Seeing a ship decked up like a bride on the day of her wedding is an unforgettable sight Nearly 7000 people at the docks had worked for six years towards that day Once the commissioning pennant is hoisted the ship is no longer pieces of metal in a yard It marks the shift from being lsquoitrsquo to lsquoshersquo the beginning of a lifelong commitment with the brideCommodore Bhupesh Tater RetdYes we built thatCaptain Ramesh Babu RetdMany including Captain Ramesh Babu Retd who had served the ship joined the celebrations online from their home states His favourite memory from the mighty warship came far from home Down Under ldquoWe once docked in Sydney as part of a visit Later that day I took a guided tour on a smaller local boat When we sailed past INS Mumbai the Australian tour guide quipped lsquoThatrsquos a beautiful ship It looks like India has received another warship from Russiarsquo I promptly interjected reassuring them that it was the INS Mumbai fully made in IndiardquoLife at seaWarships might look shiny and alluring on the outside but life inside can be extremely stressful Between 2004 and 2008 INS Mumbai visited more than 20 countries Unlike other ships a naval vessel can never turn back because of technical difficulties The ship must keep moving Life for us in the technical cadre was testing sometimes leaving us no time for meals You donrsquot realise how time flies when yoursquore at seaMaster Chief Mech Hajari Lal Saini RetdMumbai at its coreCommodore Bhupesh Tater Retd leads the march from INS TrataAs a tribute to the vibrant city that built it the naval staff onboard INS Mumbai renamed parts of the ship after landmarks in the citygtgt Malabar Hill Bridge of the ship gtgt Mantralaya Operations RoomILLUSTRATION COURTESYCAPTAIN RAMESH BABU RETDgtgt Gateway Gangway of the shipgtgt General Post Office Mail Roomgtgt Chor Bazaar Engineering Gear Store