School Children Visit Naval Base, Kochi

School Children Visit Naval Base, Kochi

As a part of Navy Week 2018, about 1000 children from various schools, along with their teachers, visited the Naval Base, Kochi on 28 November 2018. The children visited Indian Naval Ships Tir and Shardul, during which they witnessed a number of activities on board. The children were explained the various parts of the ship, made aware of the role of the Indian Navy in defending the nation's maritime interests and also given basic knowledge about the equipment fit, weapons and sensors on board. The equipment and weapon fit of the ships left the children awestruck about the capabilities of Indian Navy.

An exhibition, coordinated by Naval Institute of Aeronautical Technology, Seamanship and Diving Schools was organised during the visit, to make the school children aware of various equipment used by the navy. The exhibits included dummy bombs, rocket launchers, safety equipment, diving equipment, models of ships, robots and models depicting seamanship procedures.

They were also provided a guided tour of the Naval Air Station, INS Garuda, where they got a first-hand glimpse of various naval fixed wing aircraft and helicopters. It was a unique experience for the children to see these military aircraft virtually at arm’s length. They were also treated to a flying display by naval aircraft.

The high point of the visit, however, was an immaculate ‘continuity drill’ performed by the sailors of INS Dronacharya. In this drill, the squad is required to execute a series of precise drill movements in unison, without a single word of command being given. The clockwork synchronisation of the drill movements and the complete confidence of each member of the drill squad in his fellow sailors left the students spellbound.