On completion of our training, the majority of the original fourth submarine batch had formed the crew for INS Kursura. We had traveled all the way from Ruski Ostruv (literally - Russian Island), off the far-eastern coastal town, a Trans-Siberian Railway famed port of Vladivostok to Riga, a Baltic Sea port town on the other side of the globe. This was thirty-five years ago. The crew had undergone a grueling and tough training of twelve short months to become qualified submariners, whereas earlier submariners, who manned Kalvari, Khandheri and Karanj, had been trained for fifteen months each. Our fourth submarine was commissioned on a cold, blistering morning of 18th December 1969, at Riga, with temperature freezing around minus 20 degree Celsius. The Indian Naval Ensign was hoisted on INS Kursura and commissioned under the watchful command of Cdr Arun Auditto NM, with a few additional officers coming from India.

The submarine had sailed homeward bound on her maiden passage from Baltisk, through the Baltic Sea on 20th February 1970. She had headed for the home waters through the North Sea, the English Channel, the Bay of Biscay and the Atlantic Ocean. She headed for the Bay of Bengal around the Cape of Good Hope through the Indian Ocean, crossing the equator again, and arrived at Visakhapatnam on 11th May 1970. En-route, she had called at Gothenburg (Sweden), La Coruna (Spain), Takoradi (Ghana) and Port Louis (Mauritius).

The induction of Kursura into the Navy's fold distinctly showcased the augmentation of the third dimension of the Indian Navy. As she joined the 8th Submarine Squadron, she was rightly considered the last cornerstone of the fledging Submarine Arm. She had also contributed exceptionally well by working up all the three fleets of the navy, within a few months of her arrival at home port, for the impending war. Interestingly, from 15th November 1971, till the beginning of the war, she was patrolling off the coast of Makran, in the Arabian Sea, while the Pakistani submarine, PNS Ghazi, was off the Visakhapatnam port in the Bay of Bengal. During Kursura's glorious service of nearly 31 years, the submarine had sailed over 73,000 Nautical Miles and clocked over 10,000 dived hours participating in almost all types of naval operations. She had her share of goodwill visits abroad.

Thirteen officers had the honor of commanding INS Kursura, the last being Cdr. KM Sreedharan. The submarine, having served the nation for over three decades, was decommissioned on 27th February 2001, in the city of Submariners, at the present site (in Visakhapatnam).

Unlike other decommissioned submarines, INS Kursura has been bestowed upon with a new role! She is now immortalized, having been converted into an imposing and impressive submarine museum, the first ever on our sub-continent, and perhaps the fifth in the world! She stands tall for all to see what a submarine looks like from the outside and from within. A joint effort, put forward by all (the submariners, non-submariners and civilian-workers from the Dockyard), has tried to preserve and display the layout of equipment actually in use during her operational life. Perspex sheets and glass have been used extensively to expose the views along restricted passages inside the submarine as well as that of the main machinery. Mannequins have also been used with the name-tallies of quite a few commissioning crewmembers to give a semblance of originality. The submarine is majestically placed on a pedestal at Rama-Krishna Beach, in Visakhapatnam, - 'the city of submariners'. She is only fifty meters from the seashore, from where the waves of the Bay of Bengal salute her. Coincidentally, these very waves encompass the final place of resting for PNS Ghazi, the Pakistani submarine. As mentioned above, Ghazi had come all the way from Karachi, thirty-three years ago. She had come hunting for our aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, with view to sink her. Ironically, the remains of the enemy's submarine lie invisible, at the bottom of the sea, less than two nautical miles from this museum.

As a museum, our fourth submarine commands the attention and focus of present and future generations of submariners, as well as of the youth of our country. While fostering rich maritime traditions and heritage of our great nation, this unique museum also serves as a beacon of inspiration and pride that runs deep in the hearts of Indians. She will always be cherished and honored for her distinguished history.

About the Author: -
Cmde Anil K Dhir was among the commissioning crew of the submarine as her Electrical Officer. He was then a Lieutenant.

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