The Western Naval Command exhibited the largest national flag in the world at Gateway of India in Mumbai on Saturday.
“On Navy Day the Indian navy rededicates itself to the service of the nation and renews its pledge & commitment to protect & promote national interests & serve the people of India through this small but imp gesture of exhibiting the monumental national flag,” the Indian Navy wrote on Twitter.
Weighing 1400 kgs, the flag is made of Khadi by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission.
The Indian Navy said “Navy Day in India, the Navy said that was first celebrated on 21 Oct 1944 by Royal Indian Navy, which coincided with the Royal Navy’s Trafalgar Day. In due course & until 1972, Navy Day was celebrated on 15 December, & the week in which 15 December fell was observed as Navy Week.â€
The idea behind celebrating Navy Day was to boost outreach & increase awareness about the Navy amongst the general public.
Navy Day celebrations traditionally witnessed parades at various port cities as well as organizing public meetings at inland Naval establishments. In 1972 old traditions gave way to new reasons to celebrate the day. At the Senior Naval Officer’s Conference in May 1972, it was decided to celebrate Navy Day on 04 Dec to commemorate the actions of the Indian Navy during the 1971 Indo-Pak war, & Navy Week to be observed from 1 to 7 Dec.
