There are some moments in life which are beyond words. One such moment that I witnessed this morning was the launch of Naval Destroyer INS Chennai, built under the code name of Project 15 Alpha. Invited by a family friend, I could not say no to be a part of it especially a Naval warship. Being wife of a Ship Surveyor has made me familiar with the nity gritty of shipping industry and I could not miss an opportunity to see how ship after building in the yard is sent to the sea. The outer structure of a ship is called hull, which could be compared withe skeletal system of the body. After bulding hull, comes the process of putting in vital organs of the body like engine, generator, purifier, piping system, propellor,rudder...each serving for the proper functioning of the ship.Ok..lets come to the event of launching...We reached Mazegon Dockyards Limited (MDL), Mumbai. As soon as I entered the premises, there she was standing in front of me with all its splendor and glory, 163 m long with a weight of 6700 Tonne INS Chennai. It is propelled by four gas turbines and designed to achieve speeds in excess of 30 knots. This is India's third Missile Destroyer in the series of INS Kolkata and INS Kochi which would be equipped with Brahmos Missile, twin tube torpedo launchers and rocket launchers. Mrs Elizabeth Antony, wife of Defence Minister A K Antony pressed the button and propelled it into the sea. Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Nirmal Verma called it a red letter day for the nation. I was very mush proud to be a part of this event and could share the joy and satisfaction evident in the faces of workers and sailors of MDL. Proud to be an Indian.
