MARINE MELODY STRIKE FORCE

Recently, the Southern Naval Command's acclaimed band enthralled the audience at the Kerala Fine Arts Hall in Kochi. TNIE speaks to the two Indian Navy officers who anchored this musical triumph

- RONNIE KURIAKOSE

Tuesday saw men in uniform take to the stage where maestros of Indian classical music Madurai Mani Iyer and M S Subbulakshmi had once enthralled thousands. These men - members of the renowned Indian Navy Band (Southern Naval Command) - dressed in pristine whites, delivered a similarly captivating performance in what was their first-ever concert at the hallowed Kerala Fine Arts Hall in Kochi.

TNIE caught up with Commander Vijay Charles D'Cruz and Commander Manoj Sebastian, the band's principal and deputy conductors, to uncover the secret behind their stellar performances. What followed was a candid conversation about the band's history, achievements, training routines and more.

The band's history
"The first band of the Indian Navy was commissioned in 1945 in Mumbai with a strength of 50 musicians under the leadership of Lt Cdr S E Hills. They were stationed at Castle Barracks, now known as INS Angre. The band primarily consisted of personnel from the bands of various princely states," said Cdr Vijay.

Lt Cdr Hills, notably, was himself associated with the band of the Maharaja of Rampur.

"Fast forward to the 1970s, bands were established at most naval bases, including Kochi. Today, the Indian Navy Band has evolved into a full-fledged cadre of 500 musicians, spread across 15 bands nationwide," Cdr Vijay added.

Interestingly, the Southern Naval Command is home to seven of these bands, comprising around 160 musicians. "And about 45 of them took the stage on Tuesday," said Cdr Manoj.

Joining the band
Joining the Navy band is no easy feat. "It's everything you expect from a Navy selection process - medical exams, fitness tests, qualifications - and then you add musical talent on top of that," said Cdr Manoj. Cdr Vijay chipped in: "Proficiency in playing at least one military band instrument is essential, along with, of course, a solid grasp of the piano-forte."