INS Mysore was a Fiji class cruiser commissioned in the Indian Navy

Indian Navy

The Indian Navy is the naval branch of the armed forces of India. The President of India serves as the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy. The Chief of Naval Staff , usually a four-star officer in the rank of Admiral, commands the Navy...

 in 1957. She was acquired from the Royal Navy

Royal Navy

The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...

, where she served in World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

 as .

Mysore was the second cruiser to be purchased by independent India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

. She was commissioned into the Indian Navy in August 1957. The crest for Mysore depicted the mytholigical double-headed eagle Gandaberunda

Gandaberunda

The Gandaberunda is a two-headed mythological bird of Hindu mythology thought to possess magical strength. It is used as the official emblem by the Karnataka government and it is seen as an intricately sculptured motif in Hindu temples.- Story :The Ganda Berunda took physical form in the Narasimha...

 from the coat of arms of the former Mysore state

Mysore State

The Kingdom of Mysore was one of the three largest princely states within the erstwhile British Empire of India. Upon India gaining its independence in 1947, the Maharaja of Mysore merged his realm with the Union of India...

. The ship's motto Na bibheti kadachana was taken from the Taittiriya Upanishad

Taittiriya Upanishad

The Taittiriya Upanishad is one of the older, "primary" Upanishads commented upon by Shankara. It is associated with the Taittiriya school of the Yajurveda...

.

In 1959, Mysore collided with the Royal Navy destroyer

Destroyer

In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...

, severely damaging Hogues bow. In1969, she collided with the destroyer INS Rana resulting in the latter being decommissioned and again in 1972 with the frigate INS Beas. INS Mysore served as a crucibile of training. On her several Indian naval officers earned their stripes as her successive commanding officers. In 1971 she served as the flagship of the Western Fleet of the Indian Navy and led the missile attack on Karachi harbour in December 1971. Later in her life from 1975 onwards Mysore served as a training crusier for naval cadets.

Mysore was decommissioned on August 20, 1985 and scrapped.