Coast Guard commissions ‘Amrit Kaur’, ‘Annie Besant’

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 12

The Indian Coast Guard today commissioned two ships — Annie Besant and Amrit Kaur. These are the second and third in the series of five Fast Patrol Vessels for the force.

The ships were commissioned at Kolkata by Dr Ajay Kumar, Defence Secretary in the presence of Indian Coast Guard Director General Krishnaswamy Natarajan.

Indian Coast Guard Ship Amrit Kaur derives her name from Raj Kumari Amrit Kaur who belonged to the ruling family of Kapurthala, Punjab. She took an active part in Salt Satyagraha and Quit India Movement. She served the Independent India as first Health Minister. She worked towards uplift of the downtrodden and progress of women. She was the founder member of All India Women Conference and founder president of Indian Council for Child Welfare. The ship will be based at Haldia under the operational and administrative control of Commander, Coast Guard Region North-East.

Indian Coast Guard Ship Annie Besant has been named in honour of Annie Besant, a socialist. Annie Besant was a theosophist, women’s rights activist, writer, orator and supporter of Indian freedom. She was also a philanthropist and a prolific author who had written over 300 books and pamphlets and contributed in foundation of Banaras Hindu University. In 1916, she established the Indian Home Rule League, of which she became president. The ship will be based at Chennai under the operational and administrative control of Commander, Coast Guard Region East.

The ships are 48.9-metre long and 7.5-metre wide with a displacement of 308 tonnes. They are capable of achieving maximum speed of 34 knots, powered with MTU 4000 series engines and propelled by three 71S type III Kamewa waterjet of Rolls Royce. The ships are built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata.

The ships are capable of undertaking multi-faceted tasks such as surveillance, interdiction, search & rescue and medical evacuation. The ships are also equipped with state-of-the-art technology, navigation and communication equipment, sensors and machinery. Equipped with Bofors 40/60 gun and 12.7 mm SRCG (Stabilised Remote Controlled Gun), the ships carry one RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat) each for boarding and search and rescue operations.

Capable of achieving speed up to 34 knots

• These ships are the second and third in the series of five Fast Patrol Vessels for the force
• The ships were commissioned at Kolkata by Dr Ajay Kumar, Defence Secretary in the presence of Indian Coast Guard Director General Krishnaswamy Natarajan
• The ships are 48.9-metre long and 7.5-metre wide with a displacement of 308 tonnes. They are capable of achieving maximum speed of 34 knots, powered with MTU 4000 series engines