Indian Naval Ship Godavari is a symbol of India’s self reliance in ship building, being the first major warship to be indigenously designed and constructed by Mazagon Dock Limited in Mumbai. The ship's keel was laid on 3rd November 1978; launched on 15th May 1980 and eventually commissioned into Navy on 10th December 1983. This guided missile frigate has rendered 32 years of glorious service to the nation. She has shown the flag ‘far and wide’ having voyaged across the expanse of the Indian, Atlantic and Pacific Oceans (> 7 lakh nautical miles) during her life time. In the last three decades, INS Godavari took part in many operations, including Operation Jupiter (1988 in Sri Lanka), Operation Shield and Operation Bolster (1994 de-induction of Indian Army from Somalia) and Patrol of Gulf of Aden (2009, 2011, anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden). The ship’s motto “Alert, Aware, Fearless” truly epitomizes her illustrious career in the Western Fleet and the Indian Navy.
INS Godavari (F-20) was decommissioned on 23rd December 2015 as the ship completed its full life cycle. The ships flag was lowered for the last time during the ceremony with many of her former commanding officers on board. A Special Cover was released by Shri E. V. Rao, Director Postal Services, Mumbai Region on the occasion of the Decommissioning of INS Godavari on 23rd December 2015 at Mumbai (Special Cover approval no. MH/39/2015).
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