Indian Naval Academy
Encyclopedia
The Indian Naval Academy (NAVAC, also known as INA or Ezhimala) is the initial officer training establishment of the Indian Navy
, located in Ezhimala, Kerala
. Situated between Mount Dilli and the Kavvayi backwaters, NAVAC has a 7 km beach front on the Arabian Sea
. It conducts basic training for all officers inducted into the Indian Navy. It also currently trains Indian Coast Guard
personnel while the Indian Coast Guard Academy
(ICGA) is currently under construction at Azhikkal
.
NAVAC was established in May 1969, while its Ezhimala campus was inaugurated on 8 January 2009. It shares the 2452 acres (9.9 km²) site with the naval base depot, INS Zamorin, and the naval hospital, INHS Navjivani.
(NDA) was established in 1954, Indian Naval officer cadets underwent four years of training in Dartmouth
, United Kingdom
with the Royal Navy
and were commissioned as Sub Lieutenants upon their return. By 1968, the Navy realized that the NDA could not keep up with its expanding staffing requirements and the Indian Naval Academy was established to impart basic training in Cochin in May 1969.
The academy was consolidated with the Officers training school, at INS Mandovi in Goa
in 1976. But with the growing use of INS Mandovi as an operational naval base, as well as the existing Provost and Physical Training school at the location, the Naval Academy operated under considerable space constraints. In addition, providing basic training for Coast Guard officers at the academy further stretched the facilities. Hence the Navy decided to obtain sanction for a new permanent Naval Academy to cope with increasing training load.
The initial requirement for the site for the academy was at least 100 acre (0.404686 km²), in the vicinity of the sea or a large lake for basic seamanship. The site had to be in the proximity of a railhead, yet at some distance from the neighboring township. Another requirement was relative proximity to a naval base, as well as a bracing and moderate climate. The space requirement was later revised to consolidate training efforts in a single location for cost-effective operation.
In 1979, the Government of India
approved the development of a new campus for the Indian Naval Academy. The sites considered for the new Naval Academy were Aruvankadu
near the Pykara
Dam Lake in the Nilgiri Hills in the vicinity of Wellington Cantonment
, a site near the Bhatghar Dam
situated off the Pune-Kolhapur highway, Hassergate Lake near Bangalore
, Porbandar
on the Saurashtra coast, Chingleput
near Chennai
and Ezhimala, north of Kannur
on the Kerala coast. The Government of Kerala
was keen to host the academy in the state and offered the Navy 960 hectares at Ezhimala. It also offered essential infrastructure facilities like water and electricity supply, approach roads and bridges, capital dredging of the Kavvayi backwaters (for basic rowing and small boat training), construction of a seawall to prevent erosion, as well as expansion of the nearest railway station at no cost to the Navy. In 1982, the Central Government approved the construction of the academy at Ezhimala and granted the Kerala Government a soft, medium-term loan for acquiring the land from private owners and the resettlement of the evacuees.
on January 17, 1987. Soon after, in the wake of the 1991 India economic crisis
, the central government was forced to cut back funding for the construction of the academy. Later, construction was stalled due to litigation resulting from the land acquisition. Construction finally resumed almost a decade later.
On 6 April 2005, the naval base depot INS Zamorin was commissioned as a part of Phase I of the academy by then Chief Minister of Kerala, Oommen Chandy. The Ezhimala site is located on a promontory that was the capital of the Mooshika kingdom, who were rivals and later allies of the Zamorin rulers of Kozhikode
. The Zamorins had a strong fleet of warships under the stewardship of the Kunhali Marakkars which defeated the Portuguese
in naval battles in the 16th century.
On 8 January, 2009 the Indian Naval Academy, was inaugurated by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
. Originally envisaged to cost INR 1.66 billion in 1987, the final project cost in 2009 was INR 7.21 billion.
. The INA is divided into three zones -- a Training zone, an Administration zone and an Accommodation zone.
The main academic building complex is situated on the highest point of the academy. It includes the Service and Technical Training wings, laboratories, workshops, library, and a 1800-capacity auditorium.
The academy accepts up to 1200 cadets for officer-training each year. This include officer-trainees from foreign countries, as well as interim training facilities for the Indian Coast Guard.
The Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala is located approximately 35 km north of Kannur
and 135 km south of Mangalore
, on the west coast of peninsular India
. The nearest railway station is at Payyanur
, 10 km away. Payyanur is also on National Highway 17 between Mangalore and Kannur. The nearest major civil airport is at Mangalore, about 145 km north. The closest international airport is at Kozhikode
, about 150 km south.
The academy is about 8 miles (12.9 km) north of Azhikkal, where the Indian Coast Guard Academy is under construction. INA and ICGA are expected to share some training facilities for their cadets.
with the Army
and Air Force
cadets. They then transfer to INA for the next two years. Cadets have the option to major in Electronics & Communication Engineering, Mechanical Engineering or Naval Architecture and are awarded a Bachelor of Technology degree upon graduation. Upon graduation, cadets are commissioned as Sub Lieutenants in the Navy.
Cadets majoring in Naval Architecture have to undergo an additional 6 months of training at the Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam
after graduation. They also have the option to enroll for additional post-graduate specialization in the field at the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi.
Admisison to NAVAC as graduate officer-trainees of the Indian Navy is conducted through a written examination conducted by the UPSC, followed by 5-days of testing and interviews conducted by the Service Selection Board (SSB). These cover general aptitude, psychological testing, medical tests, team skills as well as physical and social skills. For the Short Service Commission (SSC) officer-trainees, selection is through merit. SSC officers have the option to apply for permanent commission based on their performance and track record.
Graduating officers often go on for additional training or specialization in areas such as surface warfare, submarine warfare, naval aviation, etc. at other Naval schools.
. Each squadron consists of up to four divisions with approximately 40 cadets in each division. Each division is commanded by a commissioned officer of the rank of Lieutenant
, responsible for monitoring, guidance and counselling of the cadets. The squadron is headed by an officer of the rank of Lieutenant Commander
.
Squadrons are generally housed together in the same dormitory, though classroom instruction and outdoor training are conducted separately depending on the cadet's selected majors and specializations.
Indian Navy
The Indian Navy is the naval branch of the armed forces of India. The President of India serves as the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy. The Chief of Naval Staff , usually a four-star officer in the rank of Admiral, commands the Navy...
, located in Ezhimala, Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
. Situated between Mount Dilli and the Kavvayi backwaters, NAVAC has a 7 km beach front on the Arabian Sea
Arabian Sea
The Arabian Sea is a region of the Indian Ocean bounded on the east by India, on the north by Pakistan and Iran, on the west by the Arabian Peninsula, on the south, approximately, by a line between Cape Guardafui in northeastern Somalia and Kanyakumari in India...
. It conducts basic training for all officers inducted into the Indian Navy. It also currently trains Indian Coast Guard
Indian Coast Guard
The Indian Coast Guard is a branch of the Indian Armed Forces. Its mission is the protection of India's maritime interests and maritime law enforcement with jurisdiction over both territorial and international waters....
personnel while the Indian Coast Guard Academy
Indian Coast Guard Academy
The Indian Coast Guard Academy is a training establishment for Indian Coast Guard personnel, which is currently under construction in Azhikkal, Kerala.-History:...
(ICGA) is currently under construction at Azhikkal
Azhikkal
Azhikkal is a coastal village in Kannur district, Kerala, India. The village has a small port and a fishing harbour. It is the site for a proposed expanded cargo port. The Valapattanam River empties into the Arabian Sea at Azhikkal....
.
NAVAC was established in May 1969, while its Ezhimala campus was inaugurated on 8 January 2009. It shares the 2452 acres (9.9 km²) site with the naval base depot, INS Zamorin, and the naval hospital, INHS Navjivani.
Background
Before the National Defence AcademyNational Defence Academy
National Defence Academy or National Defense Academy likely refers to:*National Defence Academy *National Defense Academy of JapanIt may also refer to:*Academy of National Defence, Poland...
(NDA) was established in 1954, Indian Naval officer cadets underwent four years of training in Dartmouth
Dartmouth, Devon
Dartmouth is a town and civil parish in the English county of Devon. It is a tourist destination set on the banks of the estuary of the River Dart, which is a long narrow tidal ria that runs inland as far as Totnes...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
with the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
and were commissioned as Sub Lieutenants upon their return. By 1968, the Navy realized that the NDA could not keep up with its expanding staffing requirements and the Indian Naval Academy was established to impart basic training in Cochin in May 1969.
The academy was consolidated with the Officers training school, at INS Mandovi in Goa
Goa
Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
in 1976. But with the growing use of INS Mandovi as an operational naval base, as well as the existing Provost and Physical Training school at the location, the Naval Academy operated under considerable space constraints. In addition, providing basic training for Coast Guard officers at the academy further stretched the facilities. Hence the Navy decided to obtain sanction for a new permanent Naval Academy to cope with increasing training load.
The initial requirement for the site for the academy was at least 100 acre (0.404686 km²), in the vicinity of the sea or a large lake for basic seamanship. The site had to be in the proximity of a railhead, yet at some distance from the neighboring township. Another requirement was relative proximity to a naval base, as well as a bracing and moderate climate. The space requirement was later revised to consolidate training efforts in a single location for cost-effective operation.
In 1979, the Government of India
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
approved the development of a new campus for the Indian Naval Academy. The sites considered for the new Naval Academy were Aruvankadu
Aruvankadu
Aruvankadu, is a small town located in The Nilgiris District, Tamil Nadu, India. It is located between Coonoor and Ooty on the NH 67, at distances 5 km and 12 km respectively. It houses the Cordite Factory, one of the 40 Indian Ordnance Factories. It is one of the oldest Defence Factories...
near the Pykara
Pykara
Pykara is a river located 19 km from Ooty in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The Pykara is considered very sacred by the Todas. The Pykara river rises at Mukurthi peak. It passes through hilly tract, generally keeping to North and turns to West after reaching the Plateau's edge...
Dam Lake in the Nilgiri Hills in the vicinity of Wellington Cantonment
Wellington Cantonment
Wellington is a cantonment town in the Nilgiris District of Tamil Nadu. It is the Regimental Centre for the Madras Regiment of the Indian Army. One of its most famous residents was Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, who died in the town on June 27, 2008....
, a site near the Bhatghar Dam
Bhatghar Dam
Bhatghar Dam, is a gravity dam on Yelwanti river near Bhor in State of Maharashtra in India.-Specifications:The height of the dam above lowest foundation is while the length is . The volume content is and gross storage capacity is ....
situated off the Pune-Kolhapur highway, Hassergate Lake near Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
, Porbandar
Porbandar
Porbandar is a coastal city in the Indian state of Gujarat, perhaps best known for being the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi and Sudama...
on the Saurashtra coast, Chingleput
Chingleput
Chingleput or Chengalpattu or Chengalpet is a city and a municipality in Kanchipuram district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. The name of the city is derived from the old nomenclature 'chenkazhuneer patru'...
near Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
and Ezhimala, north of Kannur
Kannur
Kannur , also known as Cannanore, is a city in Kannur district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is the administrative headquarters of the District of Kannur and 518km north of state capital Trivandrum. During British rule in India, Kannur was known by its old name Cannanore, which is still in...
on the Kerala coast. The Government of Kerala
Government of Kerala
The Government of Kerala is a democratically elected body that governs the State of Kerala, India for a period of 5 years. The state government is headed by the Governor of Kerala as the nominal head of state, with a democratically elected Chief Minister as real head of the executive. The state...
was keen to host the academy in the state and offered the Navy 960 hectares at Ezhimala. It also offered essential infrastructure facilities like water and electricity supply, approach roads and bridges, capital dredging of the Kavvayi backwaters (for basic rowing and small boat training), construction of a seawall to prevent erosion, as well as expansion of the nearest railway station at no cost to the Navy. In 1982, the Central Government approved the construction of the academy at Ezhimala and granted the Kerala Government a soft, medium-term loan for acquiring the land from private owners and the resettlement of the evacuees.
Construction
After delays in land acquisition, the foundation stone for the academy was laid by then Prime Minister Rajiv GandhiRajiv Gandhi
Rajiv Ratna Gandhi was the sixth Prime Minister of India . He took office after his mother's assassination on 31 October 1984; he himself was assassinated on 21 May 1991. He became the youngest Prime Minister of India when he took office at the age of 40.Rajiv Gandhi was the elder son of Indira...
on January 17, 1987. Soon after, in the wake of the 1991 India economic crisis
1991 India economic crisis
By 1985, India had started having balance of payments problems. By the end of 1990, it was in a serious economic crisis. The government was close to default, its central bank had refused new credit and foreign exchange reserves had reduced to such a point that India could barely finance three...
, the central government was forced to cut back funding for the construction of the academy. Later, construction was stalled due to litigation resulting from the land acquisition. Construction finally resumed almost a decade later.
On 6 April 2005, the naval base depot INS Zamorin was commissioned as a part of Phase I of the academy by then Chief Minister of Kerala, Oommen Chandy. The Ezhimala site is located on a promontory that was the capital of the Mooshika kingdom, who were rivals and later allies of the Zamorin rulers of Kozhikode
Kozhikode
Kozhikode During Classical antiquity and the Middle Ages, Kozhikkode was dubbed the "City of Spices" for its role as the major trading point of eastern spices. Kozhikode was once the capital of an independent kingdom of the same name and later of the erstwhile Malabar District...
. The Zamorins had a strong fleet of warships under the stewardship of the Kunhali Marakkars which defeated the Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
in naval battles in the 16th century.
On 8 January, 2009 the Indian Naval Academy, was inaugurated by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
Manmohan Singh
Manmohan Singh is the 13th and current Prime Minister of India. He is the only Prime Minister since Jawaharlal Nehru to return to power after completing a full five-year term. A Sikh, he is the first non-Hindu to occupy the office. Singh is also the 7th Prime Minister belonging to the Indian...
. Originally envisaged to cost INR 1.66 billion in 1987, the final project cost in 2009 was INR 7.21 billion.
Campus
The academy's campus is spread over 2452 acres (9.9 km²) with 7 km of beach front on the Arabian SeaArabian Sea
The Arabian Sea is a region of the Indian Ocean bounded on the east by India, on the north by Pakistan and Iran, on the west by the Arabian Peninsula, on the south, approximately, by a line between Cape Guardafui in northeastern Somalia and Kanyakumari in India...
. The INA is divided into three zones -- a Training zone, an Administration zone and an Accommodation zone.
Training
The training zone contains the main academic building complex, as well as physical-training, aquatics and outdoor-training complexes, auditoriums, a firing range, cadet's Mess and cadet's dormitories.The main academic building complex is situated on the highest point of the academy. It includes the Service and Technical Training wings, laboratories, workshops, library, and a 1800-capacity auditorium.
The academy accepts up to 1200 cadets for officer-training each year. This include officer-trainees from foreign countries, as well as interim training facilities for the Indian Coast Guard.
Administration
The administration zone consists of the Administrative Complex, the naval hospital INHS Navjivani, logistics complex, motor transport complex and the campus fire station.Accommodation
The academy has uniformed and civilian staff for training and administrative support. It had 161 officers, 47 professors/lecturers, 502 sailors and 557 civilians in 2010. The campus includes accommodation facilities for staff and their families, with capacity of about 4000.INHS Navjivani
INHS Navjivani is a 64-bed naval hospital under construction on the campus. It will cater to the healthcare needs of cadets, staff and naval veterans.Location
12°0′40"N 75°13′8"EThe Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala is located approximately 35 km north of Kannur
Kannur
Kannur , also known as Cannanore, is a city in Kannur district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is the administrative headquarters of the District of Kannur and 518km north of state capital Trivandrum. During British rule in India, Kannur was known by its old name Cannanore, which is still in...
and 135 km south of Mangalore
Mangalore
Mangalore is the chief port city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located about west of the state capital, Bangalore. Mangalore lies between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghat mountain ranges, and is the administrative headquarters of the Dakshina Kannada district in south western...
, on the west coast of peninsular India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. The nearest railway station is at Payyanur
Payyanur
Payyanur is a Municipal Town situated at the northern end of Kannur district in North Malabar region of Kerala, India. This Municipality consists of three administrative villages viz. Vellur, Korom and Payyannur. Other villages are; Annur and Kokkanissery....
, 10 km away. Payyanur is also on National Highway 17 between Mangalore and Kannur. The nearest major civil airport is at Mangalore, about 145 km north. The closest international airport is at Kozhikode
Kozhikode
Kozhikode During Classical antiquity and the Middle Ages, Kozhikkode was dubbed the "City of Spices" for its role as the major trading point of eastern spices. Kozhikode was once the capital of an independent kingdom of the same name and later of the erstwhile Malabar District...
, about 150 km south.
The academy is about 8 miles (12.9 km) north of Azhikkal, where the Indian Coast Guard Academy is under construction. INA and ICGA are expected to share some training facilities for their cadets.
Admission
Prospective applicants to the undergraduate officer-trainee program of the Indian Navy apply through the National Defence Academy. NDA cadets opting to join the Navy complete two years of joint training at NDA, KhadakwaslaKhadakwasla
Khadakwasla is a dam situated 20 km from the City of Pune in Maharashtra, India. This dam is one of the main sources of water for Pune. In the vicinity of the dam, there is a Dental Centre, a Veterinary Hospital, the well-known National Defence Academy and Central Water & Power Research Station...
with the Army
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
and Air Force
Indian Air Force
The Indian Air Force is the air arm of the Indian armed forces. Its primary responsibility is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during a conflict...
cadets. They then transfer to INA for the next two years. Cadets have the option to major in Electronics & Communication Engineering, Mechanical Engineering or Naval Architecture and are awarded a Bachelor of Technology degree upon graduation. Upon graduation, cadets are commissioned as Sub Lieutenants in the Navy.
Cadets majoring in Naval Architecture have to undergo an additional 6 months of training at the Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam
Visakhapatnam
Visakhapatnam is a major sea port on the south east coast of India. With a population of approximately 1.7 million, it is the second largest city in the state of Andhra Pradesh and the third largest city on the east coast of India after Kolkata and Chennai. According to the history, the city was...
after graduation. They also have the option to enroll for additional post-graduate specialization in the field at the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi.
Admisison to NAVAC as graduate officer-trainees of the Indian Navy is conducted through a written examination conducted by the UPSC, followed by 5-days of testing and interviews conducted by the Service Selection Board (SSB). These cover general aptitude, psychological testing, medical tests, team skills as well as physical and social skills. For the Short Service Commission (SSC) officer-trainees, selection is through merit. SSC officers have the option to apply for permanent commission based on their performance and track record.
Graduating officers often go on for additional training or specialization in areas such as surface warfare, submarine warfare, naval aviation, etc. at other Naval schools.
Cadet Life
On reporting at the academy, cadets are assigned to squadronsSquadron (naval)
A squadron, or naval squadron, is a unit of 3-4 major warships, transport ships, submarines, or sometimes small craft that may be part of a larger task force or a fleet...
. Each squadron consists of up to four divisions with approximately 40 cadets in each division. Each division is commanded by a commissioned officer of the rank of Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
, responsible for monitoring, guidance and counselling of the cadets. The squadron is headed by an officer of the rank of Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
.
Squadrons are generally housed together in the same dormitory, though classroom instruction and outdoor training are conducted separately depending on the cadet's selected majors and specializations.