INS Krishna, part of the First Training Squadron since 1995, cast off from Kochi on17 Jan 12 for the final time, as she sailed for Mumbai to be de commissioned there later in2012.
Rear Admiral Sudarshan Shrikhande Chief of Staff, Southern Naval Command and alarge gathering of Navy personnel and families assembled at the South Jetty, Naval Base tobid adieu to the Ship.
Commissioned as HMS Andromeda in December 1968 in the Royal Navy, the ship was decommissioned from the British Navy in November 1994. HMS Andromeda served the Royal Navy gloriously and she saw action several times including the Falkland War in 1982. Commissioned into the Indian Navy on 22nd August 1995 as a cadets training ship, INS Krishna has been the Alma Mater to more than 1300 officers of the Indian Navy who gained their sea legs on board. The ship has clocked about 3,23,750 nautical miles in her voyages around the world as a cadets training ship, and has visited about 32 ports in 23 different countries.
INS Krishna has a crew of 221 sailors and 18 Officers and had the capacity to train about 80 cadets. Commander Varun Singh , a Marine Commando and recipient of Shaurya Chakra for his heroism against terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir is the Commanding Officer of the ship.
[mappress] Naval Today Staff , January 18, 2012; Image: indiannavy