India lost only one ship during Indo-Pak war of 1971.On the 9th of December ,torpedoes fired from a Pakistani submarine ,struck the INS Khukri commanded by Captain Mahendranath Mulla .

The ship begain sinking and Captain ordered an evacuation. The soldiers on the boards were evacuated first .Then ,handing over his own life saving equipment to sailor he ordered his crew to leave as well . he remained on the ship’s Bridge from where he could see the evacuation .though he had every chances to save himself ,he refused to do so and went down with the ship in the glorious tradition of the sea .

He was posthumously honoured with mahavir chakra.