INS Viraat decommissioned, navy wants it as a museum
MUMBAI: The commissioning pendant of the longest serving aircraft carrier in the world — INS Viraat — was lowered at 6.50 pm at the naval dockyard in Mumbai on Monday, marking the end of a glorious tenure of the vessel that served both the Royal Navy and the Indian Navy for 56 years since it was commissioned in 1959.
Navy chief admiral Sunil Lanba said they were keen to see it be converted into a museum. “If Andhra government refuses to make it a museum then the navy will examine it and convert it into a marine museum.”
Meanwhile, for the British men who served on board the vessel, it was surreal to see the warship once again.
Andy Trish, who had joined the Royal Navy as a naval airman in 1981 and served on INS Viraat, which was then HMS Hermes, termed the journey as memorable. “I would like to take her with me,” said Trish.
Steven Robertson, who served on the ship as a naval airman during the Falkland war, said, “It’s good to see that it is still well maintained.”
Mark Shepherd, another British national who was posted on the ship during the Falkland war, opined that the ship should be turned into a museum . “I was 16 -years-old when I was posted on this ship and I served for 103 days during the war,” said Shepherd.
Commissioned into the Royal Navy in November 1959 as HMS Hermes, she served the British for 27 years before being decommissioned in 1984. India then bought the vessel and christened it INS Viraat to be commissioned into the Indian Navy on May 12, 1987.