CINC HOSTS VETERANS FOR LUNCH

A VETERAN, - Whether on active duty, discharged, retired or reserve - is someone who at one point in his Life, wrote a blank Cheque payable to his Nation for an Amount upto…and including his life. That is honour.  

One of the significant and much awaited Naval tradition during the Navy week celebrations is the Veterans’  lunch   being  hosted  by CinC every year.  The bliss of interacting with like minded Veterans is priceless and evident during such a buoyant  gathering.  25 Jan 2026 was the day when VAdm Krishna Swaminathan, PVSM, AVSM, VSM, Flag Officer Commanding in Chief of the Sword-Arm of our fine Indian Navy had invited all Veterans with spouses and Veer Naris of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Karnataka  for lunch. Invitation was flashed in major local dailies much in advance. All roads of Navy Colaba converged onto IMSC as hundreds of Veterans with their good ladies started gathering at Dhanush complex starting 12 noon. It was absolute delight for the Chairman & Secy IMSC to interact with Veterans & Veer Naris and usher them in. There were Kiosks of NAVPEN and ECHS set up in the IMSC Portico to resolve Veterans issues. Quarter Deck and other Veterans handouts were on display to be carried home by Veterans and Veer Naris. The Flag Offrs in bright Whites cheerfully interacted with all Veterans as they came onto the IMSC central lawns. Among the Senior Veterans who graced the occasion were  Adm Vijai Shekhawat our former CNS, VAdm RF Contractor former DGCG, VAdm IC Rao, VAdm SKK Krishnan,  RAdm GC Thadani, RAdm PK Sinha,  RAdm RC Kochhar, RAdm AR Radharishnan, RAdm AK Saxena,  with their good ladies. From Pune we had  RAdm & Mrs Ravi Nadkarni.

        At the outset C-in-C, warmly welcomed all the guests for the invitational Lunch, after which he briefed the gathering about  the Naval activities in the year gone by, the Naval plans for the future  and the welfare measures by the Command  particularly the ECHS issues and efforts on the welfare measures for Veterans. Cdr Vijay Vadhera, President NFMC in response brought out the Welfare activities being undertaken by NFMC including the Foreign Tours abroad by him. He highlighted the Social work being done by our Veer Nari Dr Kanta Mukhejee, wife of Late Surg VAdm HP Mukherjee former DGMS(Navy). He thanked Hamla, NAVPEN, Angre, Kunjali and ECHS for always forthcoming in Welfare of Veterans and Veer Naris.  

 Later the veterans interacted with each other and the serving officers and dwelt  on their past nostalgic memories in the Navy. The PowerPoint presentation of NFMC activities over the past year ran on the big screen in repeat mode.  The ‘meet and greet’ session at the IMSC over a glass of Beer and delectable multi-cuisine Lunch hosted by our Commander in Chief exhibited close bonhomie and congeniality. The bliss of interacting with like minded Veterans is Priceless and was evident during this buoyant  gathering. The Pics below convey much more than words can express. The IMSC was well decked up with  a huge Centre Shamiyana, flanked by smaller ones towards the Sea side. The IMSC staff courteously looked after the guests with drinks and assorted eats.  All the Veterans and Veer Naris that I interacted with were of immense praise for the arrangements made by IMSC for the function. Everyone captured enough memories to glance back in footprints of time to come.  Until we meet again for the Octogenarians and Veer Naris get-together on 31 Jan and the NFMC AGM on 8 Jun 2026. Until then Cheers.

     The efficacious culmination of CinC’s Lunch, was yet again a bright feather in WNC’s multicoloured Hat.  

 

Sam No Varunah

Jai Hind  !! 

(Photo Videography below courtesy Ms Meena Dutta)

PHOTOS

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EARLY BIRDS-CMDE ABHYANKAR, MRS BALAJI, DR KANTA & RAJ

MUSICIANS BAND

                                                 CINC ADDRESSES VETERANS

CDR HS RAWAT *& CDR KAKAD

ADM VS SHEKHAWAT IN CONVERSATION

VN BETTY HOMES & RAJ

FAROKH & ANAHITA

CDR VADHERA, CDR BATLA, CDR HARINDER, DR KANTA, RAJ,

CDR GC RAI WITH CMDE & MRS ED CHAUHAN  

SMILING YOUNG VETERANS

CINC CHATS WITH CAPT RAJ MOHINDRA & CMDE SK BHALLA

CAPT RAJ & MRS SUDESH MOHINDRA

EARLY BIRDS WITH CDR & MRS BALAJI FROM PUNE

VETERANS FROM NAGPUR (CMDE & MRS ABHYANKAR) & 

PUNE (CDR & MRS BALAJI) FLANK PRESIDENT NFMC (CDR VADHERA)

IL-38 CREW : CDR ASHOK SHARMA (FE) & RAJ (P)

CINC WITH SUBBU & MEENA

CDR SAURAV & CAPT PATRO 

SURG CAPT DS PANWAR, RAJ & CDR V PANDAV

ARCHANA, ANAHITA, MUKTI & GURINDER

RAJ, MEENA, CMDE SK BHALLA & SEEMA

CMDE BHALLA, CINC & CDR VADHERA

75th NDA GREETS 1st NDA (SAURAV WITH CMDE BHALLA)

RADM PK SINHA FLANKED BY LADY DOCTORS

CDR SAORABH, LTCDR NIDHI & CDR VADHERA

FAST FRIENDS

SURG CDR DK BOSE IN COMPANY 

SURINDER & MEENA

VADM IC RAO, MRS SHAKU RAO & RADM NADKARNI

CINC FLANKED BY NFMC COMMITTEE MEMBERS

CMDE ED CHAUHAN GREETS DR KANTA MUKHERJEE

BEAUTIFUL SMILES

RAJ WITH SMILING VEER NARIS

COURSE GTG MEENA, RAJ, NEELU, SODHI & MALLIKA

MALLIKA, NEELU & MEENA

RADM & MRS RJ NADKARNI FROM PUNE

LADIES IN FUN MOOD

CDR & MRS JASBIR SINGH

VETERANS AT ROUND TABLE CONFERENCE

CDR BOSE, CMDE ABHYANKAR & CDR JUGAL KISHORE

VEENA & MEENA

SURINDER,MEENA & SATTI

COURSE GTG : BIRDY, RAJ & VIKRAM WITH LADIES

MUKTI WITH RADM & MRS AK SAXENA

 

CDRS GREWAL, DASONDA & ASHOK

LOVE IS...SIPPING ONE COCONUT  : CDR & MRS DASONDA SINGH

CAPT & MRS S SEHGAL

CDR NIKHIL, CMDE BK AHLUWALIA & RAj

BEAUTIFUL LADIES

3 LAFANDAR MUSKETEERS 

LAFANDARS FLANK RADM GC THADANI 

SODHI WITH LOVELY LADIES

RADM GC THADANI WITH MEENA

CINC WITH CHARMING LADIES

CINC WITH VETERANS

SPREADING SMILES

 SUMIT & BLOSSOM WITH SHARANS

CDR VADHERA FLANKED BY GURINDER, MUKTI, MEENA, PATRO & SURINDER

CAPT DAHIYA WITH CHARMING LADIES

CAPT RS DAHIYA WITH LOVELY LADIES

CMDE & MRS OJ MATHUR

CDR & MRS SHISHIR RAI

CMDE & MRS AK RAFAEL

RADM AR RADHAKRISHNAN, CDME BHATNAGAR & CMDE S MITTAL

MEENA WITH CDR & MRS HOSHIAR SINGH

WITH CDR & MRS HOSHIAR SINGH

CMDE & MRS CS AZAD

CAPT & MRS AK SHARMA (ALKA)

VIDEOS

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(DOUBLE CLICK THE LINKS BELOW AND FINGER ZOOM)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HE8oLbC8-ks

VID-1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doJtMO_yIvY

VID-2 : CINC ADDRESS👆👆

VID - 3 : PRESIDENT NFMC RESPONSE

VID-4

VID-5