View source for INS Darshak

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2019}}
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{{Infobox ship image
| Ship image = INS_Darshak_in_Seychelles.jpg
| Ship caption = INS ''Darshak'' in Seychelles
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{{Infobox ship career
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| Ship country = India
| Ship flag = {{shipboxflag|India|naval}}
| Ship name = INS ''Darshak''
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| Ship builder = [[Goa Shipyard Limited]]
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| Ship launched = 28 April 1998
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| Ship commissioned = 28 April 2001
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| Ship identification = *{{IMO Number|9129536}}
*{{MMSI Number|419207000}}
*[[Maritime call sign|Callsign]]: VVYV
*[[Hull number]]: J21
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| Ship status = {{shipactive}}
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{{Infobox ship characteristics
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| Header caption = <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/india/j-sandhayak.htm |title=J 18 Sandhayak Class  |work=globalsecurity.org |year=2012 |accessdate=24 February 2012}}</ref>
| Ship type = [[Sandhayak-class survey ship (1981)|Sandhayak-class survey ship]]
| Ship displacement = {{convert|1929|LT|t|0}} full
| Ship length = {{convert|87.8|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
| Ship beam = {{convert|12.8|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
| Ship draft = {{convert|3.3|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
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| Ship speed = {{convert|16|kn|lk=in}}
| Ship range = *{{convert|6000|nmi|abbr=on|lk=in}} at {{convert|14|kn}}
*{{convert|14000|nmi|abbr=on|lk=in}} at {{convert|10|kn|abbr=on}}
| Ship complement = 18 officers + 160 enlisted
| Ship armament = 1 × [[Bofors 40 mm]] gun
| Ship aircraft = 1 × [[HAL Chetak]] helicopter
| Ship aircraft facilities = [[Helipad]]
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'''INS ''Darshak'' (J21)''' ([[Hindi]]: दर्शक lit.audience) is a [[Sandhayak-class survey ship (1981)|Sandhayak-class]] hydrographic [[survey ship]] in the [[Indian Navy]], under the [[Eastern Naval Command]].

==Ship history==
Built by [[Goa Shipyard Limited]] and [[Ship commissioning|commissioned]] into the Naval service at [[Visakhapatnam]] under the command of Captain S.S. Karnik in 2001, ''Darshak'' is the Indian Navy's eighth [[hydrographic survey]] ship to have been [[indigenous peoples of Asia|indigenous]]ly designed and constructed. Incidentally, the first indigenously built survey ship of the Navy, inducted in 1964 and [[Ship decommissioning|decommission]]ed in 1990, was also named INS ''Darshak''.

The new ''Darshak'' is equipped with a range of [[hydrographic survey|surveying]], [[navigation]]al and [[communication]] systems. The next-generation surveying systems provided onboard include the multi-beam swath [[Echo (phenomenon)|echo]] sounding system, differential global positioning system, [[motion sensors]], sea [[gravimeter]], [[magnetometer]] oceanographic sensors, side scan [[sonar]]s and an automated data logging system. These are designed to meet the stringent international/[[ISO 9002]] digital survey accuracy standards required for the production of electronic navigation charts and publications.

The ''Darshak'' is powered by two diesel engines and is capable of sustained speeds. The ship's multi-role capability places her in the league of the most versatile survey vessels in the world. It can undertake a variety of tasks under trying conditions.

==Archaeological investigations==
INS ''Darshak'' was used to investigate historically significant [[shipwreck]]s off the coast of [[Tamil Nadu]]. This included exploring the [[Underwater|submerged]] remains of the lost city of [[Poompuhar]] in Tamil Nadu.

''Darshak'', under the command of Captain P. Jayapal, was deployed off Poompuhar, about {{convert|15|nmi|km|0}} north of [[Nagapattinam]]. The ship carried out an extensive hydrographic survey and diving operations in the area off the [[Tharangambadi]] coast. During the operations, which lasted for nearly a month, the ship recovered some objects of [[archaeological]] importance. A U-shaped structure, located three miles (5&nbsp;km) off the coast at a depth of 23 metres, was discovered during one of the dives. The structure was 85 metres in peripheral length and about two metres in height while the distance between the arms was about 13 metres. The structure was covered with marine growth and the centre was buried under [[silt]]. Local fishermen claimed that the structure was one of six such submerged structures.

''Darshak'' also recovered a shipwreck supposed to be of a [[Netherlands|Dutch]] ship sunk by the [[France|French]] near the end of the 18th century. Three [[lead]] [[ingot]]s, each about a metre long and weighing approximately 80&nbsp;kg, were recovered by divers. They were marked with "W. Blackett" which was the name of a [[United Kingdom|British]] company and the marking "1792" which is presumed to be the date of their manufacture. Moreover, the ingots bear the emblem of the [[Dutch East India Company]].

Navy divers carried out further dives at the site and identified a two-metre long [[cannon]] which, although attached to the wreck, was deeply embedded in the seabed. The ship's diving team managed to recover the cannon, despite adverse sea conditions and the ship not being equipped to carry out excavations. The cannon, which was covered with extensive marine growth, is 2.1 metres in length and weighs approximately 700&nbsp;kg.

==Survey work==
INS ''Darshak'' in 2016 completed the hydrographic survey of  [[Tanga Port]], [[Tanzania]] coast for the [[Government of Tanzania]]. This survey work was of particular importance for the country's government due to upcoming [[oil pipeline]] being laid at the port from [[Uganda]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=INS Darshak completes hydrographic survey|website=[[The Times of India]] |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/visakhapatnam/INS-Darshak-completes-hydrographic-survey/articleshow/55693590.cms}}</ref> In late 2016 the ship also carried out survey work off the waters of [[Mauritius]] to prepare two new charts of the Mauritian waters as per charting scheme agreed the two governments. The survey was useful for the [[tourism industry]] based in northern Mauritius. Areas off [[Mon Choisy]], [[Grand Bay, Mauritius|Grand Bay]] and other smaller islands in the north were surveyed comprehensively. Also survey data was collected for [[aquaculture]] site off [[Anse La Raie]] and deep sea transacts for scientific research at request of [[Mauritius Oceanography Institute]]. The survey is also expected to help in [[Deep Ocean Water]] Application Projects done on request of [[Continental Shelf Department]] of [[Prime Minister]]'s Office.<ref>{{Cite web|title=INS Darshak Completes Hydrographic Survey in Mauritius|url=http://chinditsdefence.blogspot.in/2017/01/ins-darshak-completes-hydrographic.html|access-date=4 March 2017|archive-date=5 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170305034917/http://chinditsdefence.blogspot.in/2017/01/ins-darshak-completes-hydrographic.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Earlier in 2015, INS ''Darshak'' conducted hydrographic survey in [[Seychelles]] for a period of 1 month concentrating off the coast of [[Victoria, Seychelles|Port Victoria]] and in nearby areas covering the north east of the [[island]] of [[Mahé, Seychelles]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Indian naval ship 'INS Darshak' on one-month mission to gather hydrographic data in Seychelles|url= http://www.seychellesnewsagency.com/articles/4022/Indian+naval+ship+'INS+Darshak'+on+one-month+mission+to+gather+hydrographic+data+in+Seychelles#sthash.1aivq2id.dpuf}}</ref> On 3 March 2017 the ship was deployed to Sri Lanka for a two-month-long [[hydrographic survey]] trip in collaboration with [[Sri Lanka Navy]]. During the trip Sri Lanka Navy personnel joined their counterparts on the ship to undertake advanced hydrographic practices. The ship also made port calls to [[Colombo]] and [[Galle]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=INS Darshak, Indian navy Hydrographic Survey ship undertakes survey in Sri Lanka|date=4 March 2017 |url=https://www.yovizag.com/ins-darshak-indian-hydrographic-survey-sri-lanka/}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|INS Darshak (J21)}}
*[http://www.trankebar.net/info/ship/ship2004.htm Report on archaeological dives] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051115104747/http://trankebar.net/info/ship/ship2004.htm |date=15 November 2005 }}
*[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/39461018.cms INS Darshak to be commissioned on Sunday]

{{Sandhayak-class survey ship}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Darshak, INS}}
[[Category:1998 ships]]
[[Category:Sandhayak-class survey ships]]
[[Category:Ships built in India]]