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IMF Trip to – - Ganapatipule

By Capt AC Dixit

In November 2011 IMF Council members led by the IMF President Rajan Vir undertook a road trip to Goa and Karwar, stopping at Ganapatipule on the way back. The team that embarked on this voyage of discovery included Mrs Gita Vir, Mrs Nalini Kunte, Mrs Shobhana Mirchandani, Commodore Vijay and Sujata Sarwate, Cdr Mukund and Bharati Lele, Capt Anand and Mangala Dixit and Cdr Ulhas Gupte. The trip co-ordinator was Cmde Vijay Sarwate who made the necessary arrangements for our stay at the naval establishments and visits to various facilities within the establishments at Karwar and Goa by liaising with his counterparts, Cdr Tanksale at Goa and Cdr Huda at Karwar.

Day 1. We departed Pune on the 22nd November 2011 at 0700 and after a brief halt at Belgaum proceeded directly to Goa (about 530 km) arriving there around 1900 hrs. We were accommodated in the well-appointed, comfortable VVIP suites at INS Gomantak and INS Hansa which certainly helped to relieve the fatigue of the long journey.

Day 2. After a good night’s rest we got down to business starting with a visit to the National Institute of Oceanograhy (NIO). At the NIO we were received by Ms Sharon Gomes and later briefed by the Director Dr MP Tapaswi and Dr Sanjeev Afzalpurkar who gave an excellent presentation about the activities of NIO. Of particular interest to us was the vast potential of our EEZ as explained by Dr Afzalpurkar and the remotely operated U/W vehicle Maya developed by NIO.

Day 3 was the most hectic day of our tour. In the morning we visited the National Centre for Antarctic and & Ocean Research (NCAOR). Our host was Dr John Kurien who told us about the research activities of NCAOR with special reference to the Antarctic expeditions. Later we were taken to the Ice Core Laboratory with cold rooms of the temperatures -10˚C, -15C˚ and -20˚C respectively where ice core samples from the Antractic are stored. Some of us ventured into -10˚C and -15˚ C but better sense stopped us from going into -20˚C. We left the NCAOR full of admiration for the dedicated scientists who endure the harsh conditions of the Antarctic stations doing a thankless job few Indians know about. The NIO and NCAOR were invited by Commodore Vir to participate in the seminar on Under Water Technology which IMF is planning next year. Our next stop was the National Institute of Hydrography in INS Gomantak. Here we had the opportunity to meet naval hydrographers and learn the about the new developments in the field of hydrography. Later in the day was the eagerly awaited visit to INS Hansa, the Naval Air Station. Our host here was Capt Janak Bevli who took it upon himself to personally escort us around the air station. After a briefing at ADR (Air Directions Room) we moved to the Sea Harrier Simulator where we observed the simulated take off and landing of a Sea Harrier. Next was a visit to the 300 Sqn 2

Museum where photographs and other memorabilia dating back from Seahawks days are on display.

At the 300 Sqn Museum In the hangar with a MiG 29K We narrowly missed witnessing the take off of a MiG 29K but were able to see the aircraft after landing as it taxied back to the base. We were also able to inspect the MiG 29K squadron at close quarters in the hangars and LRMP IL-38 on the tarmac. Our visit to INS Hansa was every bit as exciting as we had anticipated and for this we were truly thankful to Capt Bevli and his team of young pilots who spared no effort to make it so.

At the National Institute of Oceanography 3

The MiG 29K has just landed

In the evening we were invited for cocktails and dinner hosted by Rear Sudhir Pillai, Flag Officer Commanding Goa Area. We were entertained on the beautiful lawns of the Naval House overlooking the Mandovi River. Pleasant ambi