INS Valsura

2022-12-24T16:18:20Z

2409:40C1:29:BFD2:483F:60FF:FE70:2CD3:

{{Infobox military installation
| name = INS ''Valsura''
| ensign = File:Naval_Ensign_of_India.svg
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| location = [[Jamnagar]], [[Gujarat]]
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| country = [[India]]
| image = File:INS Valsura Crest.png
| alt =
| caption = Crest of INS Valsura
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| type = [[Stone frigate|Naval shore establishment]]
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| ownership = [[Ministry of Defence (India)|Ministry of Defence]]
| operator = [[Indian Navy]]
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| used = 1942 – present
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| condition = Operational
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| current_commander = [[Commodore (India)|Commodore]] J S Dhanoa {{small|[[Vishisht Seva Medal|VSM]]}}
| past_commanders = [[M. R. Schunker]]<br/>[[Sandeep Naithani]]
| garrison = 
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| website = [https://www.indiannavy.nic.in/insvalsura/ INS Valsura]
}}
'''INS ''Valsura''''' is a "[[stone frigate]]" (shore establishment) of the [[Indian Navy]] in [[Jamnagar]], [[Gujarat]]. A premier technological training institution, it houses the '''Electrical school''' of the Indian Navy.

==History==
During [[World War II]], a need was felt to supplement the torpedo handling and operations in India by establishing a torpedo school. Since a torpedo school required waters where torpedo running and depth charge firing could be possible, a suitable location had to be selected. Since Cochin already had multiple establishments, the [[O and P-class destroyer|P-class destroyer]] {{ship|HMS|Pathfinder|G10}} then in India was tasked with scouting a suitable location. ''Pathfinder'' found the sea area around Rozi island in [[Nawanagar State]]. Rozi Island was already a well-known port and was connected to [[Jamnagar]] by road and railway.<ref name="IN-INS Valsura">{{cite web |title=Welcome to Indian Naval Ship Valsura {{!}} insvalsura |url=https://www.indiannavy.nic.in/insvalsura/content/welcome-indian-naval-ship-valsura |website=www.indiannavy.nic.in}}</ref>

The [[Jam Sahib]] of [[Nawanagar State|Nawanagar]], [[Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji]] offered the Rozi Island, his 38-acre [[game reserve]], for a token rent of [[Indian rupee|Re.]] 1 per annum.<ref>{{cite web |title=History {{!}} insvalsura |url=https://www.indiannavy.nic.in/insvalsura/content/history |website=www.indiannavy.nic.in}}</ref> ''HMIS Valsura'' was commissioned on 15 December 1942 by the [[Maharani]] Gulab Kunverba Sahiba with [[Field marshal (United Kingdom)|Field Marshal]] [[Sir]] [[Claude Auchinleck]], the [[Commander-in-Chief, India]] and [[Admiral]] [[Sir]] [[Herbert Fitzherbert]], the [[Flag Officer Commanding, Royal Indian Navy]] in attendance. As the torpedo school of the [[Royal Indian Navy]], the establishment was modelled after the [[Royal Navy]]'s torpedo school [[HMS Vernon (shore establishment)|HMS Vernon]] in [[Portsmouth]]. Commander MFB Ward was the first commanding officer of the establishment.<ref name="IN-INS Valsura" /> Apart from training officers and men for torpedo duties, it also trained them on electrical duties.<ref name="PIB Valsura">{{cite web |title=INS VALSURA |url=https://archive.pib.gov.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1952-JULY-DEC-MIN-OF-DEFENCE/PDF/DEF-1952-06-23_148.pdf |date=23 June 1952}}</ref>

After the [[Independence of India]], the torpedo school was moved to Cochin. The Jam Sahib donated another 600 acres for the expansion of the establishment.<ref name="PIB-Valsura"/> Since a separate branch for Naval Electrical Engineering was formed in the Navy, the Naval Electrical Engineering school was founded in 1948 at Valsura.<ref name="PIB-Valsura"/> On 26 January 1950, India became a republic and the name changed to ''INS Valsura''. Commander D. H. R. Dadabhoy was the first Indian commanding officer.<ref name="IN-INS Valsura" />

==Today==
INS Valsura today houses the electrical equipment school, electrical technology school, basic electrical school, information technology school, center for electronics engineering and the training design and evaluation cell. ''Valsura'' was awarded a Special Unit Citation in December 2001, an honour normally reserved for operational units. The base has grown into a large township with a military hospital and schools.<ref name="IN-INS Valsura" /><ref>{{cite web |title=Home {{!}} KENDRIYA VIDYALAYA INS VALSURA |url=https://insvalsura.kvs.ac.in/ |website=insvalsura.kvs.ac.in}}</ref> The commanding officer of the establishment is also the station commander and is a [[one-star officer]] with the rank of [[Commodore (India)|Commodore]].<ref name="CO">{{cite web |title=Commanding Officer {{!}} insvalsura Commodore gautam marwaha |url=https://www.indiannavy.nic.in/insvalsura/content/commanding-officer |website=www.indiannavy.nic.in}}</ref>

==Crest and motto==
The name of the establishment was derived from the combination of two [[Tamil language|Tamil]] words ''Vaalu'' meaning sword and ''Sorrah'' meaning fish. [[Swordfish]] was chosen since the [[Torpedo bomber]] [[Fairey Swordfish]] was named so as well as the fact that they were found in the waters off the coast of [[Saurashtra (region)|Saurashtra]].<ref name="PIB-Valsura">{{cite web |title=EYES AND EARS OF THE NAVY |url=https://archive.pib.gov.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/FEATURE/1955-JAN-JUNE-FEATURES%20ARTICLES/PDF/FEA-1955-04-14_076.pdf |website=archive.pib.gov.in |date=14 April 1955}}</ref> The crest of the school showed a swordfish placed amidst two crossed [[torpedo]]es and a mine with the Latin motto ''Valsura Semper Viret'', meaning ''Valsura shall always be victorious''.<ref name="IN-INS Valsura" />

After India became a republic, in 1950, the crest was changed. The swordfish was shown leaping out from the sea with its head and a large part of its body above water, with three streaks of lightning emanating from its head. The motto was changed to ''Tasya Bhasa Sarvamidam Vibhati'' which meant ''The light that emanates from here, illuminates all'', which was taken from the [[Upanishad]].<ref name="IN-INS Valsura" />

==See also==
*[[List of Indian Navy bases]]
*[[List of active Indian Navy ships]]
*[[Stone frigate]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://www.indiannavy.nic.in/insvalsura/ INS Valsura] on the website of the [[Indian Navy]]

{{Indian Navy}}

[[Category:Indian Navy bases]]

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INS Valsura