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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).
- A.D. 208: Chandra Sri Satakarni was king of this region.
- 14th Century: Simhachalam Temple built.
- A.D. 1515: Krishna Deva
Raya was ruler of the area comprising Vizag.
- Medieval Vizag
- Mid-17th Century: A factory was founded in "Vizagapatam" by the British East India Company.
- 1689: This factory was occupied by the forces of Aurangzeb.
- c.1735: 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.
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