RK Beach abuzz with high-octane action as Navy Day spectacle unfolds

Come December 4, Vizag wears a carnivalesque look every year. And it was no different on Wednesday, as city folk joined the Indian Navy personnel to mark the anniversary of Operation Trident, the offensive operation that saw the Indian Navy attack the port of Karachi during the Indo-Pak War of 1971.
The preparations had begun days in advance. Those living around the RK Beach were seen cleaning up their terraces for what they call ‘the best seats’ to watch the Navy Day display from.On the D-day, the whole beach was cordoned off for traffic. Some young enthusiasts hung around all day, hoping to catch a glimpse of the men in white, as they made last-minute arrangements. Some even queued up for selfies.
The proceedings began at 3:50 pm sharp. Some 50,000-odd civilians who thronged the beach to witness the spectacle. A parade by students of the Navy School, dressed in traditional outfits of various countries including Brazil, South Africa and Georgia, kicked off the show on a colourful note.
Skydivers steal the show with dazzling acrobatics, marcos impress with stealth op display
The Eastern Naval Command displayed its might by firing flares from ships, blowing up of oil rigs, water-plume charge, Marcos stealth operational displays and more. The show ended with anchored ships being lit up followed by a spectacular fireworks display. But it was the skydivers and more importantly, the Indian Air force’s Surya kiran aerobatic team, who stole the show this year. The team from Bidar were met with loud cheers, flashing lights and even heart-shaped balloons as nine white Hawk aircrafts made diamond, delta, tejas, fulcrum, vajra, crossbow, arrow, apollo and even wine-glass shaped formations. but the one who had the whole Beach Road erupt in cheers was the pilot who flew right above the crowd, upside down, while waving at them. The skydivers carried the Indian and Naval flag, much to the delight of on-lookers, manoeuvring themselves to land either on the beach or on the special dais erected for the occasion. The team even presented a special gift to CM YS Jaganmohan Reddy after landing right in front of the area he was seated at. drive home the message to go eco-friendly, skydivers also carried flags that read ‘Green Vizag’ and ‘Clean Vizag’.
‘Watching our husbands on Navy Day fills us with pride’
While Vizagites were delighted to witness the majestic show, the ones who seemed most proud were the Naval wives, who were there to support their men in white. “I’ve grown up in West Bengal and the only time I had ever seen such displays were on television for Independence or Republic Day,” says Ananya Roy, wife of a Naval officer. “It’s only in 2017 that I was inculcated into the Navy family after my marriage and life has definitely not been the same after. The first Navy Day I ever saw up close was two years ago and it was so surreal to see such feats. my husband’s colleagues were the ones performing, so that made it all the more special for me,” she beams with pride.
Lavanya Karthikeyan, who grew up in a civilian family, says the uniform remains something she’s in awe of. “I come from a strict, orthodox family where vacations meant pilgrimage trips. after marriage, here I am climbing mountains with my daughter Kaamya,” she says, adding, “The kind of support I got after becoming part of the Navy, even by extension, is amazing. I still remember the first time I stepped aboard a ship; it was an immensely proud moment. My first Navy Day was a few years ago and seeing such a massive might on display helped me understand what my husband does.”
Sayanthika Adat-Ghosh, who grew up in Vizag, hails from a Navy family and is now married to a Navy submariner. “I was at the rehearsal on Monday and every time I see the men in uniform, it’s as thrilling as it was when I was a child. I don’t get star-struck by movie stars or sports personalities. I’ve always seen my dad sail off as a child, and that’s what filled me with awe and pride,” she says.
How PNS Ghazi exploded at sea in 1971
The now-famous attack on PNS Ghazi too took place on December 4, 1971, right at the very spot they celebrate Navy Day today. While there’s much speculation on how the attack took place and why the submarine even sank, 85-year-old retired professional JC Narsappa recalls how he watched it all happen first-hand. “I was not in the Navy, but I spent most of my adulthood in Vizag and Vizianagaram. The war between India and Karachi was brewing and I remember sitting in a car with friends, looking at the beach, near the Ramakrishna Mission. It was at midnight when I heard a huge sound on the horizon and a little to our left, I could see two tongue-shaped flashes forming at sea,” recalls Narsappa, adding, “The coastal battery searchlight was immediately turned on and pointed at sea. Ships came out of the harbour too to see what had happened. We were there for an hour, but we didn’t realise yet what we had witnessed. All we knew was that the war was on and that there was a huge explosion at sea. We couldn’t sleep the whole night and it’s only the next day that we would realise we had witnessed something historical. Now this first-hand account of how I watched the Ghazi go up in smoke is my favourite story to tell.”