The premier technical training establishment of the Indian Navy, INS Shivaji, has gained the original “ Vir chakra ” award. The award honours the late Vice Admiral Benoy Roy Chowdhury for his brave actions in the Pakistan war in 1971.
On Monday, Vice Admiral Dinesh Prabhakar, INS Shivaji, distinguished chair of marine engineering, also got the Vir Chakra award from Gargi Bose and Padipta Bose, who are family members of the late Benoy Roy Chowdhury. They are present at the India Navy ceremony organised in Lonavala, 60 km away from the city of Pune.
Vir Chakra Award was awarded to the late Vice Admiral.
The Vir chakra is considered the Indian wartime military award that is present for bravery in batterfield, in the air, on land or at sea. The late Vice Admiral Benoy Roy Chowdhury is the only technical officer of the Indian navy who was honoured with this prestigious award, as per reports. The gallantry of Vice Admiral Chowdhury is rooted in the Indo-Pak War that happened 52 years ago.
The leadership quality of Vice Admiral Chowdhury
At that time, he was working there as the engineer officer onboard for INS Vikrant. During the aircraft deployment in between the Indo- pak war, one of INS Vikrant boilers was not working, whereas the other three boilers are work sub optimal. He and his team made many efforts and took a leading approach to repair boilers at sea away from the base port without getting assistance from British original equipment manufacturers.
The in-house movements involved fixing metallic bands across the boiler, adjusting safety valves involving greater dangers and several other technical measures. His work not only requires technical understanding but also leadership quality to convince other people to make the efforts with full confidence. His contributions at some stage in warfare played a vital role for the Indian Navy. Admiral SM Nanda calls him ‘An Engineer Par Excellence’,” as per the release.
Gallant actions of Vice Admiral Chowdhury
The ‘Vir Chakra’ is an Indian wartime army bravery award supplied for acts of gallantry on the battlefield, on land in the air or at sea. Vice Admiral Chowdhury is the best technical officer of the Indian Navy who has been decorated with this prestigious award.
Vice-Admiral Chowdhury’s bravery, patriotism and dedicated service is a testimony to numerous significant achievements, earning him the Vir Chakra for his gallant actions in the 1971 battle it delivered. Not only in the Indo-Pak battle, but he also played a vital role in repairing the boiler in case of INS Vikrant deployment when it did not work that time.
Conclusion
INS Shivaji, the most appropriate Training status quo of the Indian Navy, received the original ‘Vir Chakra’ awarded to Late Vice Admiral Benoy Roy Chowdhury, AVSM, VrC (Retd.) at a solemn rite at Lonavala on 18 Dec 23. Vice Admiral Dinesh Prabhakar, AVSM, NM, VSM (Retd), Distinguished Chair Marine Engineering, INS Shivaji, received the ’Vir Chakra’ from Mr Padipta Bose & Mrs Gargi Bose, the family individuals of Vice admiral chowdhury.
