President approves newly-designed President's Standard and Colour, Indian Navy crest
By Anish Kumar | First Published Dec 5, 2022, 7:56 PM ISTThe President's colour and standards are given to the best-performing units of the force. It is pertinent to mention here that the President's Colour is given to the operational formation of the force while the President's Standard is meant for the static formation.
Taking a step further towards shedding its colonial past, President Draupadi Murmu has given the approval for the introduction of a new design for the President's Standard and Colour and also unveiled the Indian Navy's Crest at Visakhapatnam.
The President's colour and standards are given to the best-performing units of the force. It is pertinent to mention here that the President's Colour is given to the operational formation of the force while the President's Standard is meant for the static formation.
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During the INS Vikrant commissioning ceremony in September this year at Kochi, the Naval Ensign was amended to a new design that draws inspiration from Indian history. The red horizontal and vertical lines on the white ensign were replaced with a blue octagon with twin golden borders encompassing the national emblem atop a clear anchor and 'Satyamev Jayate' inscribed on the stock of the anchor. Further, the National Flag was retained on the upper left canton.
The erstwhile design of the President's Standard and Colour for the Indian Navy was instituted on September 6, 2017. The design comprised one horizontal and vertical red bands intersecting at the centre and the national emblem inserted at their intersection.
The national flag was at the upper left canton adjacent to the staff, and a golden elephant was at the lower right canton on the fly side. This design was inspired by the erstwhile naval ensign.
The Indian Navy adopted a new naval ensign about three months back, and the new design of the President's Standard and President's Colour awarded to the Indian Navy incorporates this change.
The new design of the President's Standard and Colour comprises three main constituents -- the national flag in the upper-left canton adjacent to the staff, the state emblem underscribed with 'Satyamev Jayate' in golden colour on the upper right canton on the fly side and a Navy Blue-Gold Octagon below the golden state emblem.
The Octagon has twin golden octagonal borders, encompassing the golden national emblem (Lion Capital of Ashoka -- underscribed with 'Satyamev Jayate' in blue Devnagri script) resting atop an anchor; and superimposed on a shield. Below the shield, within the octagon, in a golden bordered ribbon, on a Navy Blue background, is inscribed the motto of the Indian Navy, 'Sam No Varunah' in golden Devnagri script.
The golden state emblem signifies ‘power, courage, confidence and pride’ whilst the navy blue-golden octagon shape draws inspiration from Shivaji Maharaj Rajmudra or the Seal of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. It represents the eight directions (four cardinal and four intercardinal), symbolising the Indian Navy's maritime outreach.
The new design of the President's Standard and Colour highlights India’s glorious maritime heritage and also symbolises a powerful, courageous, confident and proud Indian Navy.
The Indian Navy Crest has been amended to replace the foul anchor with a clear anchor. The clear anchor depicts the steadfastness of the Indian Navy to deter any challenge in the maritime domain and represents clarity in its sailors' vision, mission and aspirations.
The clear anchor also depicts the Indian Navy's commitment to securing India's coastal and maritime interests. The change would imply the removal of the symbolic nautical rope in the crest designs.
The modified Indian Navy crest has been introduced with effect from December 4 on the occasion of Navy Day 2022. The new naval crest has a traditional naval clear anchor below the Ashoka Lion head with an inscription invoking the Vedas, meaning 'May the Ocean God be Auspicious unto us'.
The phrase was adopted as the motto of the Indian Navy at the suggestion of Chakravarti Rajagopalachari, the first Indian Governor General of Independent India. The national motto -- 'Satyamev Jayate' -- is inscribed on the stock of the clear anchor.
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