In
his welcome address, Mr.
Arun Sharma, Executive Chairman of IRS, paid tribute to the
foresight and dedication of the pioneering founders of the Indian Register, including Sir Ramaswami Mudaliar, Mr. M G Pimputkar,
Mr. M Ramakrishnayya, Captain JC Anand, Mr. HS Rao, Mr. SR Khare and Mr. HK
Taneja who set the pace for the organisation’s steadfast commitment to
excellence and innovation in the maritime sector. Stating that one of the
litmus tests for the quality of service provided by Classification societies,
is acceptance of their services by their national navies, he expressed
gratitude to the Indian Navy, the Indian Coast Guard, Para-Military and other
government agencies for their continued support and reaffirmed IRS’ dedicated
commitment to the Defence sector. Mr.
Sharma also highlighted the importance of preparing for the significant changes
expected in the maritime industry in the near future, particularly in the areas
of environmental protection, including green fuels, unmanned operations, and
related technologies, and stated that IRS has been augmenting its capabilities
to provide services in these areas.
A corporate video and a presentation, showcasing the
growth and achievements of IRS and the strides being made in new innovations
were presented.
Admiral Tripathi, while addressing the gathering, lauded the rapid
growth of capacity and capabilities of IRS and its increasing contributions to
the maritime industry. He stressed the
importance of continued collaboration between the Navy and IRS in ensuring the
safety and security of India’s maritime interests. He stated that the
growing cooperation with IRS would strengthen the ongoing movement
towards Atmanirbharta or
self-reliance, which is a primary national objective. He reassured that the
Indian Navy would continue to support IRS in all its current and future
endeavours. The Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi was
felicitated in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the Indian Navy
and to the nation.
The
event included release of the first of three
‘Golden Jubilee
Editions’ of the IRS magazine, ‘Touch of Class’. The inaugural
edition was released by Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Vice Admiral Suraj Berry,
Vice Admiral Tarun Sobti, Vice Admiral B Shivakumar, Mr. Arun Sharma, Mr. P K
Mishra Managing Director, IRS, and Cdr KK Dhawan (Retd) Head – Defence, IRS.
The event concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by
Mr. P K Mishra. He expressed his gratitude to Admiral Tripathi for his valuable
insights, and to all guests and dignitaries, for their presence and
contribution to the success of the event.