On the eve of India’s Independence Day, the Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) hosted the first of a series of commemorative events to celebrate its Golden Jubilee, marking 50 years of rendering excellent service to the maritime industry.
The event, held on 14 August 2024 in New Delhi, was graced by the presence of Chief of the Naval Staff, Adm. Dinesh K Tripathi, PVSM, AVSM, NM, as Chief Guest. Other attendees included senior officers of the Indian Navy, the Indian Coast Guard, Para-Military organisations, government officials and members of the industry.
In his welcome address, Mr Arun Sharma, Executive Chairman of IRS, paid tribute to the foresight and dedication of the pioneering founders of the Indian Register, including Sir Ramaswami Mudaliar, Mr M G Pimputkar, Mr M Ramakrishnayya, Captain JC Anand, Mr HS Rao, Mr SR Khare and Mr HK Taneja who set the pace for the organisation’s steadfast commitment to excellence and innovation in the maritime sector. Stating that one of the litmus tests for the quality of service provided by Classification societies is acceptance of their services by their national navies, he expressed gratitude to the Indian Navy, the Indian Coast Guard, Para-Military and other government agencies for their continued support and reaffirmed IRS’ dedicated commitment to the Defence sector. Mr Sharma also highlighted the importance of preparing for the significant changes expected in the maritime industry in the near future, particularly in the areas of environmental protection, including green fuels, unmanned operations, and related technologies, and stated that the IRS has been augmenting its capabilities to provide services in these areas.
Admiral Tripathi, while addressing the gathering, lauded the rapid growth of capacity and capabilities of IRS and its increasing contributions to the maritime industry. He stressed the importance of continued collaboration between the Navy and IRS in ensuring the safety and security of India’s maritime interests. He stated that the growing cooperation with the IRS would strengthen the ongoing movement towards Atmanirbharta, or self-reliance, which is a primary national objective. He reassured that the Indian Navy would continue to support the IRS in all its current and future endeavours.
The Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi, was felicitated in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the Indian Navy and to the nation.
The event included the release of the first of three ‘Golden Jubilee Editions’ of the IRS magazine, ‘Touch of Class’. The inaugural edition was released by Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Vice Admiral Suraj Berry, Vice Admiral Tarun Sobti, Vice Admiral B Shivakumar, Mr Arun Sharma, Mr P K Mishra, Managing Director, IRS, and Cdr KK Dhawan (Retd), Head Defence, IRS.
The event concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Mr P K Mishra. He expressed his gratitude to Admiral Tripathi for his valuable insights and to all guests and dignitaries, for their presence and contribution to the success of the event.