President's Colours to the Southern Naval Command 1984

The President of India Gyani Zail Singh presented Colours to the Southern Naval Command on 26^th November 1984. This Cover was issued and postmarked at Cochin on that ceremonial occasion.

A few excerpts from the pamphlet issued along with the Special Cover are given below:-

Significance: Colours given to a fighting unit has the same significance as a national flag has to a nation. Down the ages, Colours have served as a rallying point in battle and a source of strength and inspiration for the men in times of stress. During the pre-independence period, the King's Colours were used by the Indian Armed Forces. All these Colours were laid to rest formally at the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun in 1950. Subsequently, on May 27, 1951, the Indian Navy was awarded the President's Colours - the first of the three services to be so honoured. On November 26, 1984, Southern Naval Command became the first Naval Command presented with President's Colours.

Area of Responsibility of the Command: The maritime jurisdiction of the Southern Naval Command covers the area from Goa to Kanyakumari including the Gulf of Mannar between Indian and Srilanka, extending into the Arabian Sea in a south-westerly direction down to 5 degree South latitude in the Indian Ocean. The Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command, with his Headquarters at Cochin, exercises his operational control over this area through the Flag Officer Commanding, Goa Area and the Naval Officers-in-charge, Cochin, Lakshadweep, Tuticorin, Mangalore, and Karwar.

The President's Colours: The presentation of Colours by the President indicates the symbolic recognition of the Southern Naval Command. The colour being presented is a naval ensign, white in colour and marked with the red St. George's cross. It has a national flag in the upper canton, Ashoka Lion - the emblem of India in the center and a gold-embroidered elephant in the lower fly. The elephant symbolizes "Strength and Stability."