KOLKATA : Independence Day celebrations at Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd took on a distinctive character this year, with the defence shipyard unveiling new identities for three of its key shipbuilding units and its design department in honour of iconic personalities from West Bengal.
The initiative was unveiled during the Independence Day celebrations at GRSE Headquarters in Kolkata on Saturday, August 15, with Cmde PR Hari, IN (Retd.), Chairman and Managing Director, GRSE, hoisting the National Flag. This was followed by an impressive guard of honour by CISF personnel.
The spirit of patriotism and national pride prevailed at Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd as the shipyard celebrated India’s 80th Independence Day on Saturday, 15 Aug 26, at its headquarters in Kolkata.
Cmde PR Hari, IN (Retd.), Chairman and Managing Director, GRSE, hoisted the National Flag, followed by the inspection of an impressive guard of honour by CISF personnel. Among the others present were Cdr Shantanu Bose, IN (Retd.), Director (Shipbuilding), Capt (IN) P Sunilkumar (Retd.), Director (Corporate Planning & Personnel), Shri Niranjan Bhalerao, Director (Finance), Shri Abhishek Ranjan, IOFS, Chief Vigilance Officer, Shri V Vidhun, Commandant, CISF and senior officials from GRSE and CISF.
A key highlight of this year’s Independence Day celebrations was the unveiling of the new names of three GRSE shipbuilding units and the Design department, reflecting the shipyard’s commitment to honouring India’s rich heritage and distinguished national icons from West Bengal. The Main Works Unit was renamed as Rabindranath Tagore Shipyard, the RBD Unit as Rishi Bankim Shipyard and the FOJ Unit as Matangini Hazra Shipyard. The Central Design Office (CDO) was renamed as the Centre for Ship Design & Research. The new names were unveiled through a digital display during the Independence Day celebrations.
The renaming comes at a significant juncture in GRSE’s journey. With a legacy dating back to 1884, the Defence Public Sector Undertaking under the administrative control of the Ministry of Defence was accorded Navratna status by the Department of Public Enterprises, Ministry of Finance, Government of India, in June 2026. The recognition marks another important milestone in the shipyard’s journey and reflects its sustained performance, capabilities and contribution to the nation.
Cmde PR Hari, IN (Retd.), Chairman and Managing Director, GRSE, reflected on the shipyard’s journey over the past year and highlighted its strong operational and financial performance, continued focus on self-reliance and indigenous capabilities, and the opportunities emerging from its growing presence in naval and commercial shipbuilding.
‘Independence Day reminds us that freedom comes with the responsibility to build a stronger, more self-reliant and future-ready nation. At GRSE, this responsibility is reflected in our unwavering commitment to indigenous shipbuilding and nation-building. Our elevation to Navratna status and strong performance in the first quarter of this financial year are a testament to the dedication of Team GRSE. The unveiling of new identities for our key facilities marks a new chapter that honours our rich heritage while reinforcing our focus on innovation, excellence and capability building. As we move forward, we remain committed to contributing to the vision of an Atmanirbhar Bharat and a maritime nation of global standing.”’, he said.
CMD, GRSE congratulated the GRSE and CISF teams for their participation in the Independence Day celebrations and appreciated their continued commitment towards the organisation and the nation.
