Visakhapatnam

Visakhapatnam (shortened and Anglicized: Vizag) is a large city in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It sits on the shore of the Bay of Bengal, and has the fourth largest port in India, and the country's oldest shipyard. Prime Minister Nehru launched independent India's first ship, the "Jala Usha" from here. It is a prominent industrial town, and is home to many heavy industries including

• HPCL - Oil Refinery
• Vishakhapatnam Steel Plant
• Zinc Smelter
• Bharat Heavy Plates and Vessels Ltd.

Visakhapatnam is also the headquarters of the Eastern Naval Command of the Indian Navy.

A brief History of Vizag

• Ancient Vizag
  • 260 B.C. : Ashoka conquered the Kalinga empire (of which Vizag was a part).
  • 208 A.D. : Chandra Sri Satakarni was king of this region.
  • 13XX A.D. : Simhachalam Temple built.
  • 1515 A.D. : Krishna Deva Raya was ruler of the area comprising Vizag.

• Medieval Vizag
  • Mid 17th Century : A factory was founded in 'Vizagapatam' by the East India Company.
  • 1689 : This factory was occupied by the forces of Aurangzeb.
  • 1735 (app.) : Dutch Colony was established.
  • 1765 : The territory of the Northern Sircars, of which Vizag was a part, ceded to the East India Company on dissolution of the Moghul Empire. Following this, a British colony was established.

• Modern Vizag
  • 1904 : Railway from Madras to Calcutta, passing through 'Vizagapatam' was opened.
  • 1926 : Andhra University established.
  • 1933 : Visakhapatnam Port established.
  • 1942 : Japanese war planes attack Vizag.
  • 1947 : Eastern Naval Command established its base here. Prior to 1947 the Royal Navy had a base in HMIS Sircars.
  • 1949 : Scindia Shipyard started. Later nationalised and called Hindustan Shipyard.
  • 1957 : Refinery started by Caltex.
  • 1981 : Visakhapatnam Steel Plant commenced operations.