Sub Marine Museum

Sub Marine Museum

In the ENC complex in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh has another Golden leaf in its feather and this Golden leaf has its speciality. The Submarine Museum - Kurusura being set up at the Rama Krishna Beach in Visakhapatnam has a speciality. The Submarine Museum is the first submarine tuned to a museum in the whole of Asia and second in the World.

INS Kusura is a Russian built submarine built on December 18, 1969. The submarine embarked on its journey on February 20, 1970 via the Baltic Sea and reached Visakhapatnam on the May 11, 1970. Since then INS Kusura is being used by the Indian Defence.

The Submarine is tuned into a first Submarine Museum on February 27, 2001. It was earlier brough to the sands off the Vizag beach shores from the sea. India's Premier Defence Lab - National Ship Design and Research Center (NSDRC), Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), Visakhapatnam Port Trust (VPT) and other organisations have extended their helping hands in bringing the submarine to the sands of the beach and facilitating the convertion into a museum.

INS Kusura served for about 31 years before its was decommissioned and retired from nation's defence services. Former Chief of Naval Staff Mr. Vijay Singh Sikhawat attended the decommissioning program. The then Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Vinod Pasricha, Visakhapatnam District Collector Mr. JSV Prasad, IAS, Mayor of Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation, Mrs. Rajana Ramani, were also present at the inaugural function.

Former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Nara Chandrababu Naidu inaugurated the Museum in August 2002.

An old bungalow standing almost dilapidated on the beach road at Waltair, in Visakhapatnam, is known to the locals as "Dutch Bungalow". This building was in occupation by various families till the late 70s, but no one ever dreamt that it would one day become the home of "Visakha Museum".

The bungalow and the land around it was alienated to VUDA for development in the 1980s. Originally it was thought that the Bungalow would make way for a five-star hotel. Founding members of the Visakha Historical Society and other public-spirited citizens rallied around and appealed to the authorities to preserve the building and utilise it for a public purpose. Good sense prevailed and it was decided to renovate and preserve the Bungalow for public use.

Corporation Museum of Visakhapatnam had a grand-gala opening on the 8th October 1991 by the then Honourable Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Mr N. Janardana Reddy.