Maritime fraternity in Pune and Mumbai got together last week to celebrate life of late Capt. P. S. Barve. I think the fraternity feels orphaned. I first met Capt. P S Barve in early 1980, with late Mr. Suresh Godbole, in Pune, and on occasion, visited him in Barve wada too. I had known him for better part of 45 years and remained good colleagues together with Capt. Naphade. I met him in Jaslok hospital just few days before going abroad only to be informed of his sad demise by his daughter, Swati on 24 August early morning.
Capt. Barve joined Dufferin, & served initially with Scindias. He obtained highest marks in second mates, joined the government in early 1961 for over 30 years. Went on for higher studies to Sir John Cass school of Nautical studies London. I followed him there 10 years later. During his tenure in London as first secretary shipping in 1980 he was instrumental together with late Capt. Amulya Singh and Jayant Abhyankar to establish Indian Maritime association which for many years organised meeting according to Capt. Barve ‘s availability in London for IMO work etc. He was also flag bearer in starting work on commissioning T S Chanakya as T S Rajendra was being de commissioned. He was also Indian lead in first comprehensive revision of STCW 1995 which for the first time made the Convention as objective as possible. I had lot of committees, subcommittee interactions with him during the period. Capt. Barve continued to be engaged in IMO works such as coastal SOLAS, Fishing Vessel Convention etc.
I had several opportunities to meet Capt. Barve in the Directorate, at IMO, his London residence, Mumbai residence, Swati’s wedding, Dufferin events, Tolani campus, CMMI meetings and at fondly remembered ‘Wadala’ parties with few close associates, some of whom are present here. The most memorable occasion for me was when late Sir C P Srivastav, the then Secretary General of IMO & Capt. Barve, from DG Shipping, were piped up the gangway on board MV Vishva Kaumudi in Tilbury, London on its maiden voyage in the summer of 1980, where I was in command, and received them.
Capt. Barve was mentor teacher advisor to many of us and I particularly found in him a very humble, understanding, pragmatic person, who was always ready to help in problem solving “u see”. I will always be grateful for his sound advice, be it in affairs of Merchant Shipping, IMO, or maritime training. Capt. Barve helped me put together Dufferin coffee table book in the year of Amrit Mohatsav 2022, and soon thereafter released his memoirs titled NANA. I wish and hope that his dream of creating a TS Dufferin Museum by ex-cadets is realised even if it is on a small scale, in either Mumbai or Pune in Dufferin centenary year 2027.
We will miss him. The Maritime fraternity is poorer for his loss. May god give his family and his friends’ strength to bear this big loss. I firmly believe in what Rudyard Kipling has said when he wrote the poem “The Sack of the Gods”; They will come back, come back again as long as the red Earth rolls, He never wasted a leaf or a tree, do you think he will squander souls”…especially special ones like Capt. Purushottam Barve! Enjoy the break, Barve saheb.
Sudhir Chitralekha 30 August 2025 Nehru Centre Worli, Mumbai