The crew of INS Kolkata, the lead ship of the Kolkata-class stealth guided-missile destroyers of the Indian Navy, commemorated the 10th anniversary of the warship by trekking to Torna Fort, located in Velhe taluka of Pune district. They were joined by soldiers of the Mahar Regiment, an infantry regiment of the Indian Army.
The Pune-based Southern Command shared this update on its official X (formerly Twitter) account. "To commemorate the 10th anniversary of Indian Naval Ship (INS) Kolkata, soldiers from the Mahar Regiment and INS Kolkata embarked on a memorable trek to the historic #TornaFort. This joint expedition highlighted their strength, unity, and camaraderie. The trek not only celebrated a significant milestone for INS Kolkata but also deepened the bond between the soldiers and sailors, reinforcing their shared commitment to service and heritage," read the post.
An indigenously designed and built stealth destroyer, INS Kolkata was commissioned into the Indian Navy on August 16, 2014. According to the Indian Navy, the ship has a displacement of 7,500 tonnes, a length of 163 meters, a beam of 17.4 meters, and is capable of speeds exceeding 30 knots. "She is manned by a crew of 40 officers and 400 sailors and is equipped with an array of weapons and sensors which include surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missiles, medium and short-range guns, torpedo and anti-submarine rocket launchers. The ship is also capable of operating different types of helicopters, which enables the ship to perform a wide variety of roles including coastal and offshore patrolling, monitoring of sea lines of communication, maritime diplomacy, counter-terrorism and anti-piracy operations. Its crest design depicts the Howrah Bridge and a tiger, symbolic of Kolkata city, with blue and white ocean waves in the background. The ship’s motto is ‘Yudhay Sarvasannadh’ which means ‘Always prepared for battle'," stated the Indian Navy in a post on Facebook.
Meanwhile, Torna Fort holds historical significance as it was the first fort captured by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at the age of 16. The fort can be reached within two hours from Pune.
