AS I PREPARE TO DROP ANCHOR FOR THE LAST TIME IN MY RETIREMENT HOME, I ACKNOWLEDGE WITH DEEP APPRECIATION AND PROFOUND GRATITUDE, THE DEVOTION, LOYALTY AND SUPPORT THAT I HAVE RECEIVED FROM MY SHIP-MATES OVER THE FOUR DECADES SPENT UNDER THE WHITE ENSIGN

2(.) IT HAS BEEN AN HONOUR AND PRIVILEGE TO HAVE COMMANDED THIS FINE SERVICE WHICH I JOINED AS A CADET 42 YEARS AGO(.) DURING THE PAST 27 MONTHS WE HAVE ACHIEVED A GREAT DEAL IN MANY SPHERES DUE TO YOUR DEDICATED ENDEAVORS, STEADFAST RESOLVE AND PATRIOTIC SPIRIT

3(.) YOU HAVE PROVIDED VISIBLE DEMONSTRATIONS OF THE REACH AND VERSATILITY OF INDIA'S MARITIME POWER AND YOUR OUTSTANDING PROFESSIONALISM DURING EXERCISES AS WELL AS RELIEF OPERATIONS IN RECENT TIMES(.) CONSEQUENTLY THE INDIAN NAVY'S CLOSE LINKAGE WITH INDIA'S ECONOMIC RESURGENCE AND HER GROWING STATURE AS A REGIONAL POWER HAS BECOME OBVIOUS NOT JUST TO OUR FELLOW CITIZENS BUT ALSO TO OTHER POWERS

4(.) WE NOW HAVE IN PLACE THE FORCE PLANNING ARCHITECTURE AS WELL AS THE INTELLECTUAL UNDERPINNING REQUIRED TO MEET OUR GROWING CONTRIBUTION TO NATIONAL SECURITY AND TO MARITIME DIPLOMACY IN THE DAYS AHEAD(.) THE FORTHCOMING INDUCTIONS WILL SIGNIFICANTLY ENHANCE AND TRANSFORM OUR OPERATIONAL CAPABILITIES

5(.) THE SERVICE HAS PASSED THROUGH TESTING TIMES IN THE RECENT PAST BUT WE HAVE EMERGED STRONGER AND MORE COHESIVE AS A RESULT(.) I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE FAITH AND CONFIDENCE DEMONSTRATED BY MY COMRADES-IN-ARMS AS WELL AS THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA WHICH HELPED THE SERVICE TO SAIL SMOOTHLY THROUGH THESE STORMY SEAS

6(.) AS PARTING ADVICE I WOULD SINCERELY URGE MY SHIPMATES THAT THEY MUST CONTINUE TO PULL TOGETHER AS A TEAM AND ENSURE AT ALL TIMES TO PLACE THE INTERESTS OF THE SERVICE BEFORE THEIR OWN (.) REMEMBER IT IS YOUR LOYALTY WHICH WILL MAKE OUR NAVY AN INDOMITABLE FORCE(.) I RETIRE FROM SERVICE CONFIDENT IN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THE BATON IS IN CAPABLE HANDS AND THE NAVY IS POISED TO ATTAIN NEW HEIGHTS

7(.) AS WE BID 'AU REVOIR' TO THE NAVAL FRATERNITY MY WIFE JOINS ME IN WISHING ALL UNIFORMED AND CIVILIAN PERSONNEL AS WELL AS THEIR FAMILIES GOOD HEALTH HAPPINESS AND CONTENTMENT IN THE FUTURE

8(.) JAI HIND (.) SHANO VARUN