INS SATAVAHANA – THE SUBMARINE TRAINING ESTABLISHMENT

The acquisition of ships and submarines from the Soviet Union in the late sixties necessitated a new training establishment where personnel could be taught the complexities of new and modern equipment, much of which had never been in service in the India Navy before. Surface ship training was started in the Petya Training School (PTS) and submarine training in INS Virbahu in 1968-69. Formal Government approval was obtained for a separate training establishment, and an Integrated Type Training Establishment was set up in Visakhapatnam, which took over the tasks of both surface and submarine training. The establishment was inaugurated on 11th March 1974.

The establishment was later named INS Satavahana and commissioned on 21st December 1974, with Commander KN Dubash as its first Commanding Officer. This premier training establishment derived its name from the great Satavahana Dynasty which ruled the whole of the deccan and a large portion of North India for four and a half centuries from about 20 BC. They were great seafarers, and during their reign, Indian sailors ventured to the far eastern islands of the Java and Sumatra kingdoms, and colonies were established. On the West, the Satavahanas established trade links with the Roman Empire. The crest of the establishment contains the motif taken from a Satavahana coin of that period.

           A bird's eye view of the Establishment                                    Comissioning of INS Satavahana

Initially, INS Satavahana was fitted with machinery and equipment for the purpose of training officers and sailors for ships and submarines of Soviet origin. The Surface Training Wing of Satavahana also conducted training in amphibious warfare and exploitation of landing ships and landing craft. In 1986 surface training was discontinued at Satavahana and the establishment became a purely submarine warfare school, with a special wing where escape training was imparted to submarine crews.

Prime Minister Indira Gandhi accepting a memento from Cdr Raja Menon, Commanding Officer. >

Training has been revitalised with the procurement of equipment belonging to more modern submarines, and the establishment has set high standards of excellence in training. Training policies are reviewed periodically and refined to meet changing needs, and the motto of this proud establishment is "Abhyasath: Siddhi", meaning "Achievement through study".