Indian Navy’s 1st Destroyer INS Rajput was dismissed from the Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh after 41 years of service (appointed May 4, 1980).
It was the first Indian Navy ship to join the Indian Army Regiment – the ‘Rajput Regiment’, and the first ship to be equipped with the anti-ship supersonic missile ‘BrahMos’ in 2005.
*The destroyer was built by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) under the Russian name ‘Nateshni’, which means ‘hope’, in the 61 Communes shipyard in present-day Nikolai, Ukraine.
*It was appointed by the then Indian Ambassador to the Soviet Union, IK Gujral, at the Bodi (formerly USSR) in Georgia; Captain Gulab Mohanlal Hiranandani was the first Commanding Officer of INS Rajput.
*With the aim of ‘Raj Kareka Rajput’, it was the leading ship of the Kashin class annihilators.
*It was removed in the presence of Vice Admiral Ajendra Bahadur Singh, Commanding Officer, Eastern Naval Command, who was the chief guest at the event.
Important Points:
*Vice Admiral Ajendra Bahadur Singh has issued a special postcard recognizing the service rendered by INS Rajput to the Indian Navy.
*INS Rajput served in both the Indian Navy (based in Mumbai until 1988) and the Eastern Navy (Visakhapatnam).
*Participated in various naval operations like this
Operation Pawan – to regain control of Jaffna in Sri Lanka from LTTE
Operation Aman – conduct off the coast of Sri Lanka o assist Indian Peace Keeping Forces (IPKF)
Operation Cactus – resolving hostage situation of Maldives
Operation Crowsnest off Lakshadweep
*It has traveled over 7, 87, 194 nautical miles since it was headed by 31 Commanding Officers until its dismissal.