Indian Coast Guards rescue fishing trawler

A fishing trawler named FV St George (Tamilnadu Registration) with 9 fishermen was rescued by Indian Coast Guard officials of Vizhinjam yesterday. According to Mr. Sreekandan, Additional Director, Department of Fisheries, Thiruvanathapuram, with the onset of monsoons, fishing ban has already been imposed across the Kerala Coast wef 15 Jun 2014. Adequate warnings and notices regarding safety at sea during monsoons have already being issued from time to time by the Fisheries department.

Union Defence Minister Shri AK Antony at the Indian Coast Guard Investiture ceremony in Kochi

Twenty honours and awards announced for Indian Coast Guard personnel in 2013 were presented by Shri AK Antony, Defence Minister today at a well attended ceremony held at precincts of Indian Coast Guard District Headquarters No 4, at Kochi. PTM (President’s Tatrakshak Medal)  for distinguished service, TM (Tatrakshak Medal) for Gallantry and TM for meritorious service were the awards presented by the Defence Minister. Speaking on the occasion, Shri Antony said that substantial economic activity is happening over the sea as the country develops and this calls for coordination and proactive approach from all agencies in the maritime domain. The Indian Coast Guard has a pivotal role in building up synergy of efforts between all stake holders responsible for security of our waters he said. He lauded the efforts of Indian Coast Guard in saving many lives, providing timely assistance to fishermen is distress and firefighting.

IG (Inspector General) Suresh Kumar Goyal, I G K C Pande, and IG Kripa Ram Nautiyal, received the PTM. DIG (Deputy Inspector General)  Donny Michael, was awarded TM Gallantry for fighting the fire on board merchant vessel Amsterdam Bridge in September 2012, as Commanding Officer of ICGS (Indian Coast Guard Ship) Samudra Prahari. One of his senior crew members Bangalan Sasi,  Pradhan Sahayak Engineer also received TM for the same gallantry act. Commandant Ajay Kumar Pande, then in command of ICGS Amrit Kaur was awarded TM Gallantry for recovering a banned communication equipment  in extremely difficult circumstances from a merchant vessel. Other winners of TM Gallantry were Commandant Rohit Vohra, Commandant (JG) Ashok Kumar, Deputy Commandant Muhammed Shahnawaz, Assistant Commandant Chakshendra Kumar, N Raja Kumar Pradahan Adhikari, Chandan Kumar Das Pradhan Navik and Anil Kumar Uttam Navik. All of them received the award  for bravely carrying out rescue missions and saving lives.  TM  for Meritorious service were awarded to DIG Nanduri Venket Narasimha, DIG Rakesh Pal, Commandant Atul Kumar, Commandant Nalam Venkata Rama Rao, Commandant Alok Kumar Madhukar (Retd), Commandant Kanakadand Ramabrahmam and Bharat Singh Gusain,  Pradhan Adhikari.

Earlier on arrival Shri AK Antony inspected a Guard of Honour. People’s representatives from the area, Vice Admiral Anurag Thapliyal, Director General Indian Coast Guard, Vice Admiral Satish Soni, Flag Officer Commanding in Chief Southern Naval Command, Inspector General   SPS Basra, Commander Coast Guard Region West, other dignitaries, personnel of Indian Coast Guard and families witnessed the Investiture ceremony.
"The occasion was also utilised to hand over to the Defence Minister, a cheque  for a sum of Rupees Eight Six Lakhs as the contribution of  personnel of Indian Coast Guard towards  the Prime Ministers Relief Fund. The cheque was handed over by Vice Admiral Anurag G Thapliyal, Director General Indian Coast Guard" 

Passing Out Parade of Coast Guard Officers

In an impressive Passing Out Parade, 32 Officer trainees of the rank of Assistant Commandants including five women of the Indian Coast Guard successfully completed the Coast Guard Law and Operations course at Coast Guard Training Centre at Kochi today. The Chief Guest, Inspector General VSR Murthy, Commander Coast Guard Region (Andaman & Nicobar) reviewed the Parade. Speaking on the occasion, the Inspector general said that the role and responsibilities of the Indian Coast Guard has grown in tandem with national interests. The resultant growth in maritime traffic calls for an efficient framework of maritime safety, security, environment protection, disaster management and law enforcement at sea. He exhorted the successful trainee officers to discharge their responsibilities in a befitting manner. Later in reply to a specific question during an informal interaction with the media, the Inspector general said that the four radars to be installed in Andaman and Nicobar Islands as part of coastal radar chain network are ready and would be installed soon. The radars would come up at East Island, Hut Bay, Car Nicobar and Port Blair he said.

 Assistant Commandant Simranjeet Singh was awarded the ‘Director General Coast Guard “Sword of Honour” for being the Best All Round Officer of the batch. Assistant Commandant Ritesh Bhardwaj was awarded the book prize for scoring highest marks in the Law and Ops Course. The Twelve weeks course contained topics ranging from maritime law, ocean management and pollution response, search and  rescue, fisheries  and operations. Faculty from Law College, Passport Office, Police Department, Customs and Central Excise and Port Trust were invited to deliver lectures to the trainees. Educational visits to shipyards and boatyards were also held  to enable understanding of ship construction, architecture and maintenance of ships and boats. A large gathering of Officers from Indian Navy, Coast Guard and their families witnessed the parade. Deputy Inspector General TKS Chandran, Commander Coast Guard District No 4 conducted the parade.

Environmental Awareness Walkathon by Indian Coast Guard

An Environmental Awareness Walkathon from Fort Kochi to Veli and back, covering a distance of 06 kms, was organized by Indian Coast Guard District Headquarters No. 4, Kochi on 08 Feb 2014. The Walkathon was flagged of by DIG TKS Chandran, TM, Commander Coast Guard District Headquarters No. 4. Over 100 personnel from various Indian Coast Guard units at Kochi participated in the Walkathon. The theme of the walkathon was “Walk for Green Earth, Pure Air and Clean Waters”. The focus of this initiative was to spread awareness on environment conservation and emphasize on how each individual can contribute towards protecting and preserving our environment.  Pamphlets highlighting the need for Planting trees, saving water, not using plastics, reducing pollution and  reducing litter were distributed to the general public. The Walkathon was organized as part of a series of Community events conducted by the Coast Guard District Headquarters to commemorate its 37th raising day. The Coast Guard, which, has a mandate to protect the Indian maritime interests including protecting the marine ecology in the Indian waters, has conducted a number of outreach programmes as part of the Formation Day celebrations. The events included a blood donation camp, interaction sessions with students of different schools/colleges, painting competition for school children and visit of specially abled children to CG ships.
Speaking on the occasion, DIG T K S Chandran appreciated the enthusiastic participation of all personnel and lauded their efforts in reaching out to the local populace for generating awareness about environmental protection. He emphasized on the responsibility of each person towards the protection of Mother Nature and reiterated that conscious efforts should be made by everybody to inculcate the spirit of environmental protection and preservation. The event was sponsored by Petronet LNG Limited, Kochi and Lakeview Apartment Hotels, Thevara.

Coast Guard Fast Patrol vessel commissioned

ICGS (Indian Coast Guard Ship) Abhinav, the third Fast Patrol Vessel built by CSL (Cochin Shipyard, Limited) was commissioned today here.  Vice Admiral Anurag G Thapliyal, Director General Indian Coast Guard was the Chief Guest on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, Vice Admiral Thapliyal said commissioning three ships in a span of 33 days is a testimony to the professionalism, resolve and capabilities of Cochin Shipyard Limited. Dwelling on the responsibilities of Indian Coast Guard and it’s fast paced expansion, the Admiral said that 46 coastal radar stations along the coast are nearing completion and 38 more station are in the pipeline in the second phase.  He also expressed his appreciation for the support extended by the State Government for all initiatives and outreach programmes of the Indian Coast Guard.



The ship was commissioned within three days after delivery by the builders, Cochin Shipyard Limited. 17 more ships are on building block of which 3 would be delivered before the end of this financial year. ICGS Abhinav commanded by Commandant (JG) Raman Kumar has a crew of 39 and will be based at Kochi. The water jet propelled vessel has a length of 50 meters and displaces 290 tonnes with a top speed of 33 Knots. Fast Patrol Vessels, the work horses of Indian Coast Guard, undertake surveillance, interdiction, search and rescue and medical evacuation. Shri Ravikumar Roddam, Officiating Chairman and Managing Director of Cochin Shipyard Limited, Inspector General SPS Basra, Commander Coast Guard Region West , senior officers from Indian Navy, Coast Guard and Cochin Shipyard Limited witnessed the commissioning ceremony.

AIRBORNE TACTICIANS COMPLETE TRAINING

Thirteen Officers of the Indian Navy and three Officers of the Indian Coast Guard graduated as “Observers” at a Passing out Parade held at Naval Air Station Garuda at Kochi here today. Commodore MR Ajayakumar, Commanding Officer INS Venduruthy and a veteran Observer himself, reviewed the Parade. Lieutenant Shoshant Singh was awarded Flag Officer Commanding in Chief Eastern Naval Command Trophy for being adjudged best in flying. Lieutenant Krisha Kumar Verma was awarded Uttar Pradesh Trophy on being adjudged first in overall order of merit. Lieutenant Verma also bagged the prize for being adjudged best in ground subjects.

Observers are airborne tacticians of the Navy who conduct operations in maritime patrol and anti submarine aircraft of the Navy. During the 46 weeks course at the Observer School at INS Garuda, the Officers were trained in tactics employed in air warfare, anti submarine warfare and exploitation of electronic surveillance systems in addition to basic training in navigation and flying procedures. Commander SMGRV Saripalli is the Officer in Charge of the Observer School.