The International Association of Amateur Heralds

The Indian Navy has following Royal Navy precedent Badges for its Ships and other Units. They show instead of a Rope Lotus flowers in the brodure and a differnet Indian type of Naval Crown. From Wikimedia some examples:


Frigate INS Beas. The design shows the flaming 'Sudarshan Chakra' of the Lord Krishna, which is associated with the Jawal Amukhi in the Beas Valley.


Frigate INS Betwa. It shows the famous Stupa of Sanchi on the banks of the River Betwa in Vidisha (Sanchi).


Frigate INS Gomati. The Badge shows the Palace of Chattar Manzil on the Banks of the River Gomati at Lucknow.

Destroyer INS Mysore. The Badge shows the Genda-Bherunda dubbleheaded Eagle associated with Mysore.


Destroyer INS Kolkata (Calcutta).


Destroyer INS Rana. The Badge shows a Hand holding a Kataar.


Destroyer INS Rajput. The Badge shows symbols of the Rajputs a People known as skilled Warriors.

Corvettes showing in their Badges the namegiving Weapon.


INS Kuthar.


INS Khukri.


INS Khanjar.

Institute of Naval Medicine.


Indian Naval Academy.


Indian Naval Air Squadron (INAS) 300.


INAS 310.

Thanks for posting these, Markus. I had been wondering what the bordure was composed of, and I hadn't realised they were stylised lotus flowers pointing outwards. Their naval coronet is interesting, with animals instead of jewels on the circlet.

You are welcome Arthur. Also notice the pentagonal frame of the INS Mysore Badge. This was formerly used by Royal Navy Cruiser Badges (now all RN combatship Badges are round), the first Mysore was a Cruiser previously HMS Nigeria. I'am not sure why INS Kolkata uses this frame as the was not any Cruiser with that name in the Indian Navy.

Badge of HMS Nigeria, picture Richard Symonds.

The RN had several HMS Calcuttas, the last being a C-class light cruiser launched in 1918 and sunk on 1 June 1941 in the Mediterranean. She would have had many links with the city whose name she bore, as did other RN vessels which bore the names of cities of the Dominions and Colonies.

I like the use of the Lotus flower. It gives the badges a certain uniqueness from the Royal Navy rope.

Chris Green wrote:The RN had several HMS Calcuttas, the last being a C-class light cruiser launched in 1918 and sunk on 1 June 1941 in the Mediterranean. She would have had many links with the city whose name she bore, as did other RN vessels which bore the names of cities of the Dominions and Colonies.

Yes that might provide the explanation why INS Kolkata uses the former RN Cruiser Badge Pattern.