Vizag gears up for spectacular Navy Day on 4 Dec, Prez Droupadi Murmu to attend

Visakhapatnam: The Indian Navy is all set to celebrate Navy Day on 4 December in Visakhapatnam. Navy Day commemorates victory at sea in the 1971 war in which the Indian Navy's missile boats carried out a devastating attack on Karachi harbour.

The celebrations will begin with a solemn ceremony to honour the valiant sailors who made the supreme sacrifice in service to the country. Vice Adm. Biswajit Dasgupta, flag officer commanding-in-chief, Eastern Naval Command will lay a wreath at the 'Victory at Sea' war memorial on the RK Beach, Visakhapatnam.

The Indian Navy will celebrate the day along with the citizens of Vizag with an 'Operational Demonstration' (Op Demo) in the evening. The Op Demo will showcase the capability and versatility of Indian Naval ships, submarines, aircraft, and Special Forces.

This year, the Navy Day celebrations at Visakhapatnam are very special as the President and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, Droupadi Murmu will be the chief guest. Several dignitaries from the Central and state governments are expected to participate in the event which will be hosted by Admiral R. Hari Kumar, chief of the Naval Staff.

Citizens of Visakhapatnam would be able to view the maneuvers by ships, submarines, helicopters, and different types of aircraft, watch a simulated beach assault by Marine Commandos, sky diving, and a band performance at the RK Beach. The Op Demo will culminate with a sunset ceremony and illumination by ships at anchorage. About 15 ships, including ships from other Naval Commands and 25 aircraft, are scheduled to take part in the event. A short musical performance by the acclaimed musical trio Shankar, Ehsaan, and Loy is also scheduled.

Rehearsal for the Op Demo will be held on 30 November and 2 December, and the final event will be held on Sunday (4 December).

During the rehearsals and on 4 December, many aircraft will fly over RK Beach. Birds flying near the display area pose a major hazard to the aircraft. To ensure the smooth conduct of the display and for air safety, the viewing public as well as residents of the area are requested to keep the beach litter-free and avoid bringing food items to the venue.