INS Khukri Memorial Diu: The Warship Memorial and Museum

The INS Khukri Memorial is one of the most moving places to visit in Diu, a hillock monument on Chakratirth Beach dedicated to the courage of the crew of the Indian Naval Ship Khukri, lost in the 1971 Indo-Pak War. Overlooking the Arabian Sea, it is both a place of remembrance and a point of pride for the nation. This guide, from the team behind Somnath Dwarka Tour Package, a unit of Experience My India, covers the story behind the memorial, the cliffside site, the warship museum nearby and all the timings and practical details you need to visit respectfully.

What is the INS Khukri Memorial?

The INS Khukri Memorial is a solemn hillock monument on Chakratirth Beach in Diu, dedicated to the courage and supreme sacrifice of the crew of the Indian Naval Ship Khukri. It honours the 18 officers and 176 sailors, including the ship's commanding officer Captain Mahendra Nath Mulla, who was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra posthumously, who went down with the anti-submarine frigate after it was torpedoed by a Pakistani submarine during the 1971 Indo-Pak War. Set on a scenic cliffside overlooking the Arabian Sea, the memorial is a place of quiet reflection and national pride, where visitors come to pay their respects to the sailors who gave their lives in the line of duty. It is among the most significant war memorials in western India and a visit here is a moving reminder of the human cost of the nation's defence, made all the more poignant by its beautiful seaside setting.

The INS Khukri Memorial at a glance

The story of INS Khukri

The memorial commemorates one of the most poignant episodes in Indian naval history. During the 1971 Indo-Pak War, the anti-submarine frigate INS Khukri was torpedoed by a Pakistani submarine off the coast of Diu and sank with heavy loss of life. As the ship went down, her commanding officer, Captain Mahendra Nath Mulla, is remembered for his extraordinary courage and selflessness, giving up his own life jacket to help his men and choosing to go down with his ship in the finest tradition of the sea, for which he was posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra, one of India's highest gallantry decorations. In all, 18 officers and 176 sailors were lost. Their sacrifice has become a cherished part of the nation's naval heritage and the memorial at Diu, overlooking the waters where the ship was lost, ensures that their courage is never forgotten. To understand the memorial is to understand this story of duty and sacrifice that it so movingly enshrines.

The memorial site on Chakratirth Beach

The original memorial stands on a scenic cliffside above Chakratirth Beach, overlooking the open Arabian Sea towards the waters where INS Khukri was lost, a setting that lends it great dignity and emotional power. At its heart is a scaled-down replica of the first INS Khukri, the frigate with the pennant number F149, enclosed and protected within a glass pavilion so visitors can see the ship it honours. Around it, elegantly carved marble and granite walls detail the historical account of the ship and the battle and engrave the names of the martyrs, so that each of the fallen is individually remembered. The plaza is peaceful and well kept, a place to walk slowly, read the accounts, pay respects at the names and look out over the sea. In the late afternoon and at sunset the setting is especially beautiful, the memorial silhouetted against the ocean sky, a fitting tribute to the sailors it honours.

The INS Khukri warship museum

A short distance from the cliffside memorial, about 1.5 km away at the Marine Police Jetty, is a remarkable companion attraction, the INS Khukri warship museum. Here the actual decommissioned INS Khukri, the indigenously built missile corvette with the pennant number P49, a later ship that carried on the proud name of the lost frigate, was handed over to the Diu administration and converted into India's first afloat warship museum. Visitors can step aboard and explore the authentic interior of a real Indian Navy warship, including the bridge room from which the ship was commanded, the engine room, the radar and sensor setups and the original weaponry, giving a vivid, hands-on sense of life and service at sea. For families, children and anyone interested in the navy and military history, the warship museum is a genuinely fascinating experience and together with the memorial it tells the full story of the Khukri name, both the sacrifice it stands for and the proud service it represents.

Timings, entry fees and practical details

Here is the practical information you need to plan your visit:

Access to the outdoor cliffside memorial park is free for everyone. Stepping aboard the decommissioned warship museum at the jetty requires a ticket, at 100 rupees for adults and 50 rupees for children aged 5 to 15, with free entry for ex-servicemen in a fitting gesture of respect. The memorial grounds follow the usual local pattern of a morning and an evening session with a midday break, so plan around the 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM closure.

Best time to visit

The best time to visit the INS Khukri Memorial is the late afternoon. Arriving in the later part of the day lets you first explore the warship museum and its exhibits comfortably, out of the midday heat and then head to the seaside memorial plaza in time to catch the spectacular views of the sunset over the open ocean, which is when the clifftop setting is at its most beautiful and moving. The cooler months from October to March are the most pleasant overall for a Diu visit, as the coastal weather is ideal for exploring both the indoor museum and the open-air memorial. Whenever you come, the combination of a late-afternoon museum visit followed by sunset at the memorial makes for the most rewarding and atmospheric experience of this special place.

Accessibility

The memorial authorities have made thoughtful provision for visitors who find the climb up the hillock difficult. Battery-operated buggies and golf carts are available on-site to assist elderly travellers and those with limited mobility in navigating up to the clifftop memorial comfortably, so that the site can be enjoyed by everyone regardless of age or fitness. This is a welcome touch at a memorial that draws visitors of all generations, including veterans and older family members who come to pay their respects. If you are visiting with elderly relatives or anyone who would find the slope challenging, you can rely on this on-site assistance to make the visit easy and dignified, letting the whole family share in honouring the sacrifice the memorial commemorates.

How to reach the INS Khukri Memorial

The INS Khukri Memorial is on Chakratirth Beach in Diu, easily reached from anywhere on the small island of Diu by auto-rickshaw, taxi or two-wheeler and the warship museum at the Marine Police Jetty is about 1.5 km away. Diu itself is reached by road from the Saurashtra coast and sits close to the Somnath region, so it is often combined with a Somnath and Gujarat pilgrimage, as covered in our places to visit near Somnath and Diu guide and the Diu to Somnath distance guide. For a comfortable way to reach Diu and get around the region, our Somnath Dwarka taxi service can include it and our how to reach Somnath guide covers the approach to this corner of the coast.

Combining the memorial with Diu's sights

The INS Khukri Memorial is best enjoyed as part of a fuller exploration of Diu, a charming former Portuguese island with a wealth of attractions. A natural pairing is the mighty Diu Fort, the great seaside Portuguese fortress and the beautiful Nagoa Beach, the island's most famous stretch of sand. Nearby are the curious Naida Caves, a labyrinth of carved rock and the unique Gangeshwar Mahadev Temple, where Shiva lingams are washed by the sea waves. Together with the memorial, these make Diu a destination with a rich blend of history, faith, nature and remembrance, well worth a day or two as part of a wider Gir and Somnath journey through Saurashtra.

Tips for visiting the INS Khukri Memorial

A few pointers help you visit respectfully and well:

• Visit in the late afternoon, exploring the warship museum first, then the clifftop memorial for the sunset over the sea.

• Remember the memorial is a solemn war memorial, so visit respectfully and quietly, especially near the names of the martyrs.

• The cliffside memorial park is free; carry some cash for the warship museum ticket at the jetty.

• Use the on-site battery buggies and golf carts if you are with elderly travellers or anyone who finds the slope difficult.

• Allow an hour or two to see both the memorial and the warship museum about 1.5 km away at the Marine Police Jetty.

• Plan around the midday closure, from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM, when the memorial park is shut.

• Combine the visit with Diu Fort, Nagoa Beach and the island's other sights for a full day in Diu.

Plan your Diu visit

Experience My India can plan your Diu visit to include the INS Khukri Memorial and warship museum alongside the island's forts, beaches and temples, with comfortable transport and a well-paced itinerary. You can combine Diu with the Somnath temple, the lions of Gir, the heritage of Junagadh Girnar and the holy town of Dwarka, stay at well-placed Somnath Dwarka hotels and let the Experience My India Somnath Dwarka tour packages or the wider Gujarat tour packages bring the island and the whole region together in one journey.

Related guides

To plan the rest of your Diu and Saurashtra trip, these related guides help:

Plan your visit

Experience My India can arrange your Diu trip and wider Saurashtra journey. Browse more travel guides, message us on WhatsApp or call +91 73006 20809.