PRESIDENTIAL REVIEWS OF THE FLEET

In this tradition inherited from the British Navy, the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces reviews the Navy as if on Parade. Traditionally, the President of India reviews the Indian Fleet once during his tenure in office. There have, however, been two occasions when reviews were done by other personages- by the Shah of Iran in 1956 and by Defence Minister YB Chavan in 1964 on behalf of President Radhakrishnan who was indisposed.

The Presidential Review is an impressive ceremony, second only to the Republic Day Parade. Naval ships and ships from maritime organisations like the Coast Guard, the Merchant Navy, the National Institute of Oceanography, the Oil and Natural Gas Commission, Training Ship Rajendra and Naval Yardcraft are anchored precisely in neat lines and dressed overall.

The President embarks in a naval ship nominated as the Presidential Yacht which flies the President's Colour. After receiving a 21 gun salute, the President reviews the Fleet by cruising past each line of ships. Each ship's side is manned by her ships company in white ceremonial uniform. As the President passes by, each ships company, in unison, `take off' their caps in salutation and give three resounding `Jais'.

At sunset, all ships at the anchorage participate in a fireworks display. With the ships covering a wide expanse, the entire harbour appears to be aflame. As darkness descends, all ships, in unison, switch on their garlands of lights which accentuate their silhouettes.

To date, all reviews have been held in Bombay Harbour.

No Fleet Reviews were held for

a) President Zakir Hussain during his tenure from 13 May 1967 to 03 May 1969.

b) President N Sanjiva Reddy during his tenure from 25 July 1977 to 24 Jul 1982.

As a prelude to the Presidents Review in 1969, naval aircraft gave an aerial fire power demonstration and aerobatic display off Marine Drive in Bombay, from where thousands watched the aircraft decimating anchored targets.

On the day of the Review in 1969, 20 Seahawks, 6 Alizes, 4 Vampires and 7 Alouette helicopters flew past in two formations - one depicting an anchor and the other depicting the letters "IN".

    Since ancient times, in all countries, armies and navies, the monarch used to fly his flag to visually indicate his location to his dispersed forces. In India, this flag was called the "dhwaj". The Romans carried flags called "standards" on tall poles topped by eagles. In battle those flags served as a central point of reference. If the flag ceased to be visible, it indicated that the personage had either been defeated or had fled. The flag therefore was a rallying point, well defended in battle. In peacetime, it was a focus for pageantry because it was a personal symbol of the monarch.

In the British Navy when the monarch embarked in a naval ship, the `Royal Standard' was flown at the highest mast. When admirals were embarked in large sailing fleets, they flew their personal flags at the highest points of their respective flagships. These fleets of sailing warships were usually organised in three segments- the van, the centre and the rear, with the seniormost admiral in the centre. The Vice Admiral in the Van (ie front) and the Rear Admiral in the rear. The Rear Admiral's flag had two red roundels on a white flag with red strips dividing it into four quadrants. The Vice Admiral's flag had only one red roundel and the Admiral's flag had just the quadrantal red strips and no roundels. In battle at sea, these personal flags fulfilled the same function of a rallying point, much as a "Standard" did in a battles land.

In Britain, the monarch used to present "colours" to the Navy, Army and Airforce as well as to the Commanders in Chief of the forces. This "Kings Colour" was paraded ashore on very special ceremonial occasions. In 1924, King George presented his colours to the British Navy. In the following years, Kings Colours were presented to the Commanders in Chief of the main naval ports at Portsmouth, Plymouth and Chatham and to the Commanders in Chief of the British Fleets in Britain and abroad. In 1935, the Kings Colours were presented to the Royal Indian Navy.

India became a republic on 26 January 1950. One day earlier, on 25 January, all 33 of the Kings Colours which had been presented to the Royal Indian Navy, Royal Indian Army and Royal Indian Air Force and their respective Commands were "laid up" at the Indian Military Academy at Dehradun. From 26 January 1950 onwards, the use of the prefix `Royal' was discontinued.

On 27 February 1951, the British Commander in Chief of the Indian Navy, Vice Admiral Sir Edward Parry, wrote to the Defence Minister

"As you know, before India became a Republic the Naval custom was to parade the Kings Colours ashore on special ceremonial occasions. On and after January 26th, 1950, however, this practice ceased and the ordinary Indian Naval ensign has been paraded instead. It would be a privilege of which the service would be extremely proud if the President would honour the Indian Navy by presenting to it a special flag which would be paraded on important occasions in the same manner as the King's Colours used to be.

"I am attaching a drawing which shows the Indian Naval White ensign with the Asoka Lion, the emblem of India, in the centre, and an elephant in the lower right quarter. The shape of the elephant is the same as the one which appears in outline in the top right quarter of the President's flag. The elephant symbolises "strength and stability" and has been chosen in lieu of the vase and lotus flower which appears in the lower right quarter of the President's flag. I feel that the lotus emblem representing "peace and plenty" would not be appropriate if shown in a flag belonging to a fighting force.

"If you agree with the proposal for a President's Colour to be presented to the Indian Navy, I should be grateful if you would submit the design to the President, and request him if he would be gracious enough to present the flag when made."

    Following the British tradition of the Navy being the senior of the three armed services, the Indian Navy was the first to be presented with the President's Colours on 27 May 1951. In the years that followed, as the navy grew in size and function, Presidents Colours were presented to the Naval Commands and the Fleet.

From 15 Aug 71, the use of `Personal Standards' by the President, Governors and Lieutenant Governors was discontinued. Instead the National flag was to be flown when these standards used to be displayed.

NAVY DAY

    On 21 October 1944, the Indian Navy celebrated Navy Day for the first time. This met with considerable success and aroused enthusiasm not only in the ports where parades were held but also in inland centres where public meetings were organised. Seeing its success, it was decided to organise similar functions every year on a larger scale and later in the season when the weather was cooler. Accordingly, Navy Day 1945 was celebrated in Bombay and Karachi on 1 December.

In due course and until 1972, Navy Day came to be celebrated on 15 December and the week in which 15 December fell was observed as the Navy Week.

At the Senior Naval Officers Conference in May 72, it was decided that :

(a) Navy Day would be celebrated on 4 December to commemorate the very successful naval actions in the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal during the Indo Pakistan War of December 1971.

(b) Navy Week would be observed from 1 to 7 December.