INS Khukhri

In Episode 1, we look back at the story of Indian Navy Captain Mahendra Nath Mulla and war ship (Blackwood class frigate) INS Khukri. She was sunk off the coast of Diu, Gujarat, India by the Pakistan Navy Daphné-class submarine Hangor on 9 December 1971 during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. Khukri is the only ship lost in combat in the history of the Indian Navy. 18 officers and 176 sailors were lost in the sinking. The captain, Mahendra Nath Mulla, chose to go down with the sinking ship. He refused to abandon ship and went down with the vessel. He was awarded Mahavir Chakra, India’s second largest military honour, posthumously. This episode was written by Anulata Raj Nair.