Golden Jubilee Celebrations of ENC

Golden Jubilee Celebrations of ENC

Eastern Naval Command(ENC) was established in 1968 with a responsibility for safe guarding India’s maritime interest across the canvas of the geopolitically strategic Eastern Seaboard. ENC is the largest geographical Command of the Indian Armed Forces, extending from the Sunderbans in the North, to the Gulf of Mannar in the South. ENC will be celebrating its Golden Jubilee Year in the form of ‘Swarn Varsh Samaroh’ commencing 01 April 2017.

It was in 1923 when the British identified Visakhapatnam as an important convoy assembly point for military operation a small naval outpost set up in December 1939. With need to expand, the naval outpost was formally established as Command on 01 March 1968 with Rear Admiral KR Nair appointed as its first Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Naval Command. During the five decades of existence, the Command has been transformed into a truly potent naval force and today boasts of the combined might of a strong and balanced blue water Eastern Fleet, a potent submarine arm and an omnipresent air arm, a versatile dockyard and various other outposts spread across the East Coast.

As part of the Swarn Varsh Samaroh, ENC has scheduled a series of activities spread over the next one year. These activities aimed at showcasing the ‘Silent Service’ will provide an opportunity to local populace to have a closer interaction with the navy and for raising awareness among citizens.  The celebrations will start with a Beach Clean-up and Tree Plantation Drive at Visakhapatnam on 02 April.  A Golden Jubilee Maritime Seminar is scheduled in August followed by Golden Jubilee Musical Evening in October. The Golden Jubilee Vizag-Navy Marathon will be held on 12 November which will be followed by a Golden Jubilee Triathlon on 17 December this year. The Swarn Varsh Samaroh  celebrations would conclude with a grand finale on 01 March 18 when a special documentary on ENC and Visakhapatnam would be released.

The Beach Cleanup and Tree Plantation Drive will be observed on the Beach Road on Sunday, 02 April 17 with the pledge “Striving for trash free seas”.  Over 4000 naval personnel including Defence Civilians, their families and cadets from NCC and SCC will participate in the event covering majority of water front areas of the city.  The Drive is also intended to inculcate amongst the general populace, the necessity of keeping the beaches clean and of safeguarding our environment.