Indian
Naval Ship Godavari is a symbol of India’s self reliance in ship building,
being the first major warship to be indigenously designed and constructed by
Mazagon Dock Limited in Mumbai. The ship's keel was laid on 3rd November 1978;
launched on 15th May 1980 and eventually commissioned into Navy on 10th
December 1983. This guided missile frigate has rendered 32 years of glorious
service to the nation. She has shown the flag ‘far and wide’ having voyaged
across the expanse of the Indian, Atlantic and Pacific Oceans (> 7 lakh
nautical miles) during her life time. In the last three decades, INS Godavari
took part in many operations, including Operation Jupiter (1988 in Sri Lanka),
Operation Shield and Operation Bolster (1994 de-induction of Indian Army from
Somalia) and Patrol of Gulf of Aden (2009, 2011, anti-piracy operations in the
Gulf of Aden). The ship’s motto “Alert, Aware, Fearless” truly epitomizes her
illustrious career in the Western Fleet and the Indian Navy.
INS
Godavari
(F-20) was decommissioned on 23rd December 2015 as the ship completed
its full life cycle. The ships flag was lowered for the last time during
the
ceremony with many of her former commanding officers on board. A Special
Cover
was released by Shri E. V. Rao, Director Postal Services, Mumbai Region
on the occasion of the Decommissioning of INS Godavari on 23rd
December 2015 at Mumbai (Special Cover
approval no. MH/39/2015).
