Museums and interpretive spaces play a crucial role in preserving, celebrating and communicating maritime and naval history
For a long time, the maritime consciousness of the only nation with an ocean named after it seemed to lie dormant. In the age of superhighways and expanding urban landscapes, contemporary perspectives of the Indian subcontinent left little space in public discourse or policy-making to reimagine our connection with the sea.
Yet, India is a peninsular nation, with over 7,500 km of coastline spanning nine coastal states and four union territories. It is therefore timely and essential that India바카라™s exemplary maritime history and heritage gain renewed attention through the cultural sphere.
Museums and interpretive spaces play a crucial role in preserving, celebrating, and communicating maritime and naval history바카라”both for institutional memory and public engagement.
These spaces foster community involvement, transforming maritime heritage into a living, accessible part of our national identity.
National Maritime Day, observed annually on April 5, commemorates the historic maiden voyage of SS Loyalty바카라”the first Indian-owned ship of the Scindia Steam Navigation Company Ltd바카라”which sailed from India to the United Kingdom in 1919.
Founded during the Swadeshi movement by Narottam Morarjee and Walchand Hirachand in Bombay, it was a bold step to challenge British dominance in shipping and built an indigenous mercantile fleet. The growth of India바카라™s maritime trade led to the establishment of the Ministry of Shipping in 1962.
National Maritime Day celebrates India바카라™s proud seafaring legacy, honours maritime heroes, and highlights the industry's critical role in shaping the nation바카라™s economy and future. These are stories that deserve to be remembered and retold.
India바카라™s maritime origins date back to the Harappan era, when sea-borne trade played a vital role in shaping the early civilisational economy. Robust trade networks flourished across the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal, driven by the seafaring prowess of empires like the Mauryas, the Kalingas, and the Cholas, ushering in prosperity and regional influence.
The western seaboard enabled commerce with Mesopotamia, Egypt, and East Africa, while the eastern seaboard connected India to Southeast Asia and the Far East. This vibrant maritime tradition is reflected in the diversity of coastal communities, distinctive architecture, indigenous shipbuilding, and deep-rooted seafaring skills.
Today, India바카라™s eastern and western seaboards continue to anchor naval strength and commercial trade, reaffirming the nation's strategic and cultural ties to the sea.
The western seaboard, stretching from Gujarat to Kerala, is steeped in a rich maritime history shaped by trade and cultural exchange. Ancient dry docks and ports at Indus Valley sites like Lothal and Dholavira indicate mature maritime linkages.
The Konkan coast became a key trade hub, with ports such as Sopara, Chaul, and Gopakapattana thriving during the Gupta, the Satavahana, and the Kadamba periods. Later, Kalyan, Surat, and Mormugao flourished under the Marathas, the Mughals, and the Portuguese.
On the Malabar coast, Muziris, Kollam, and Calicut prospered under the Cheras, the Pandyas, and the Zamorin. The Marathas further advanced shipbuilding and naval strength, with Shivaji Maharaj laying the foundation for a powerful coastal defence through sea forts and naval bases.
Kanhoji Angre, hailed as one of India's greatest admirals, led a formidable Maratha navy that included 85 indigenous gallivats (warboats) and three-masted gurabs (warships).
India바카라™s maritime heritage continues to inspire its modern naval strategy and coastal development. The Indian Navy, the maritime arm of the Indian Armed Forces, safeguards the country바카라™s maritime borders and ensures security across the Indian Ocean region.
It plays a pivotal role in peace-time missions바카라”from protecting seafarers and coastlines to countering piracy, patrolling international waters, and securing vital shipping lanes.
The Navy바카라™s diplomatic and constabulary roles reflect its commitment to regional stability, maritime resilience, and India바카라™s growing responsibilities on the global stage.
Along with military accomplishments and battle honours; these are compelling narratives that today are finding their way into the public domain through concerted museum and exhibition projects.
A wonderful example of such momentum is INS Khukri (P49), the first ship of its class, built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders in Mumbai. It was named in honour of INS Khukri (F149), the frigate that sank bravely near Diu during the 1971 Indo-Pak War.
The ship바카라™s crest and motto symbolised courage and sacrifice, paying tribute to the earlier Khukri and its brave crew바카라”the Indian Navy바카라™s only combat loss to date. After 32 years of frontline service, the corvette was decommissioned in 2021. On January 26, 2022, it was formally handed over to the Union Territory Administration of Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu.
Berthed near the historic Diu Fort, the vessel was reopened as a public museum to educate visitors about the Indian Navy, maritime history, and life at sea. Later that year, the Maritime Mumbai Museum Society approached the Diu administration to undertake the augmentation and enhancement of the visitor experience on board, as part of a corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited.
This effort evolved into a tri-partite collaboration, strengthened by immersive storytelling, rigorous research, and thoughtful design. Today, Museum Ship Khukri stands proudly open to the public, serving as a powerful symbol of India바카라™s naval prowess and rich maritime heritage.
There is a long-standing naval tradition of naming successive ships after their distinguished predecessors, and the Indian Navy has upheld this tradition with the name 바카라˜Khukri바카라™.
Visitors aboard the museum ship can trace the legacy of three eponymous vessels, each inheriting the pride, achievements, and inspiration of the ones before.
The Union Territory of Diu, historically a significant trading hub, has played a pivotal role in India's maritime past바카라”from the Battle of Diu in 1509, which reshaped Indian Ocean trade dynamics, to the sinking of INS Khukri (F149) during the 1971 Indo-Pak War.
The waters and shores of Diu stand as enduring witnesses to this lasting maritime legacy.
In recent years, there has also been a reorienting of international relations where Navies and especially naval ships are viewed as the best ambassadors of a nation.
They represent both the hard and soft power when sailing to distant waters during military, diplomatic and humanitarian missions. With this view the VIP compartments aboard INS Mormugao (D67), an advanced P15B stealth guided-missile destroyer, named after the city of Mormugao was designed to acknowledge the tapestry of nautical contributions and seafaring traditions of the state of Goa over centuries.
Since its commissioning on Goa Liberation Day 2022, the ship has undertaken key defence, diplomatic, and combative missions, setting a new benchmark for culturally integrated naval ship design.
Furthermore, the Indian Navy and its associated infrastructure are housed in some of the country's oldest and most distinguished historic buildings and precincts.
Despite restricted access and stringent security protocols, efforts are being made to raise public awareness바카라”particularly among civilians and youth바카라”through heritage walks and curated visits that offer a glimpse into this legacy.
One such pioneering initiative is the Legacy Gallery of the Naval Dockyard Mumbai, located within a nearly 300-year-old heritage precinct, that traces the maritime origins of Bombay.
Established in 1736 as a Marine Yard for the East India Company, it evolved into the most vital dock east of the Suez for the British Empire. Post 1947, it continues as the principal Repair and Refit Yard of the Indian Navy. As India바카라™s oldest defence establishment, the Legacy Gallery curates this remarkable story
More such public-minded cultural initiatives are needed across the country where defence and design intersect to preserve and showcase India바카라™s maritime heritage that brings history to life.
Ones that emotionally resonate with visitors, builds tourism and acknowledges significant but perhaps forgotten chapters of naval and maritime history.