The Naval
History Cell (NHC) was created in 1968 to forward war records of 1962 and 1965
operations to the Ministry of Defence History Division which was tasked to write
the official history of the wars. The History Cell was placed under Directorate
of Naval Operations for ensuring easy retrieval of operational records. The
Naval History Cell (NHC) was re-designated as the Naval History Division (NHD)
in Aug 06 and the scope of its responsibilities was enlarged to cater for
collation/compilation of historical data and information pertaining to the
Indian Navy and also for the collation of material pertaining to present events
for future requirements. In the process of retrieving historically significant
documents for preservation, a comprehensive study was carried out of various
orders and procedures on document management with reference to the Public Record
Act 1992, Public Records Rule 1997, National Archives of India, Comptroller and
Auditor General of India, French, British and American archives.
The Naval History Division has
been created to collect and preserve historical documents/information at one
place. The Naval History Division receives Letter of Proceedings (LOPs) from
Indian Naval Ships and Establishments. Currently, the digitisation of historically significant photos and documents pertaining to the Indian Navy,
post independence period, is in progress.
The Naval
History Project (NHP) was headed by VAdm G M Hiranandani (Retd) from 1995 till
his demise in Sep 2009. Apart from compiling the history of the Navy, VAdm G M
Hiranandani (Retd) was
instrumental in implementing study of Indian Navy history at National Defence
Academy and Naval Academy. On similar lines,
On the demise of VAdm G M Hiranandani, in Sep 09, the Naval History Project (NHP)
is being looked after by the NHD, as an interim measure.
A Peep into Our Maritime Past:-
India has a very long maritime history and the history of the Indian Navy has
been recorded in five volumes covering the period from 1945 to 2000 with the
latest volume being ‘Transition
to Guardianship: The Indian Navy 1991-2000’ .
The volumes which cover the history are as follows:-
(a) Under
Two Ensigns: The Indian Navy 1945-50
by Rear Adm Satyindra Singh (Retd)
(b) Blue
Print to Blue Water: The Indian Navy 1951– 65,
by Rear Adm Satyindra Singh (Retd).
(c) Transition
to Triumph: The Indian Navy 1966-75,
by Vice Adm GM
Hiranandani (Retd).
(d) Transition
to Eminence: The Indian Navy 1976– 90,
by Vice Adm GM
Hiranandani (Retd).
(e) Transition
to Guardianship: The Indian Navy 1991-2000,
by Vice Adm GM
Hiranandani (Retd).
The first four
books can be downloaded from the Indian Navy website,
www.indiannavy.nic.in
.
