KOCHI: When the Indian Navy’s tableau rolls down Kartavya Path during the Republic Day Parade on January 26, it will feature three Malayali links.
The most obvious would be the model of INS Vikrant – India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier. “It is the largest warship ever constructed in India. It was built by the Cochin Shipyard Ltd and commissioned into the Navy in September 2022,” a defence official told TNIE.
The replica of the Navy’s stitched sail ship, INSV Kaundinya, is another standout feature. “Commissioned into the Navy in May 2025, the vessel is modelled after a 5th-century ship depicted in the paintings of Ajanta Caves. It was built by a team of skilled artisans from Kerala, led by a master shipwright Babu Shankaran,” the official said.
As TNIE earlier reported, Babu sourced the hard timber Indian laurel (karimaruthu) from Wayanad for the vessel’s foundation. Teak wood was used for the two 16m-long masts, and timber of jackfruit and Malabar kino trees were used for the frame. “Work on the ship began in December 2023 and was completed last March,” the official said.
The tableau also traces the latest of the Navy’s Sagar Parikrama expedition – a historic circumnavigation voyage by two naval officers aboard INSV Tarini. “One of the officers – Lt Cr Dilna K – hails from Kozhikode,” the official said. The other is Pondicherry native Lt Cdr Roopa Alagirisamy. In May last year, the duo successfully navigated over 25,400 nautical miles in 8 months.
Interestingly, both the Kaundinya project and the recent Navika Sagar Parikrama expedition were stirred by the Ocean Sailing Node in Goa, headed by another Malayali officer – Captain Prasant C Menon.
On these Malayali links, retired Indian naval aviator and yachtsman Cdr Abhilash Tomy told TNIE, “It is a happy coincidence. While the Malayali contribution is indeed significant, it is not the only contribution. The Navy works in larger formats than that. Decisions are taken at various levels and involve a lot of people. It’s a huge team effort.”
“While the Navy is indeed about big ships and submarines, it has a dedicated adventure wing which conducts expeditions regularly. These feature on the Republic Day tableau. The two big achievements to highlight this year was of course, the Kaundinya project and the Navika Sagar Parikrama expedition,” Cdr Abhilash explained.
It is, no doubt, heartening, observed Cdr Ajith George (retd). “From stitched ships to circumnavigation, Malayalis have always answered the sea’s call. History suggests that if there is a horizon, a Malayali has probably tried to cross it,” he said.
Cmde G Prakash (retd) pointed out that “India has a long association with sea and sailing. Having the recent achievements in this domain acknowledged in the Navy’s float this Republic Day is a confidence booster as India seeks to become a prominent sea power.”
In addition to the tableau, the Navy will field a marching contingent of 144 personnel drawn from across states and UTs and a naval band of 80 musicians, including six women Agniveer musicians.
The tableau, themed ‘Anchored in tradition, sailing into self-reliance and innovation’, has been conceived and designed by the Navy’s Warship Design Bureau.