A small naval unit was set up at the location just two days prior to the outbreak of World War II.
With the ongoing war, the base quickly expanded to become the headquarters of the Royal Navy in southern India.
In 1946, after the end of the war, the base was deserted and transferred to the Royal Indian Navy which maintained a small establishment of about 20 officers and 130 enlisted men.
[2] Following the partition of India, the navy lost three major training establishments which were located in the Dominion of Pakistan.
[3] INS Venduruthy currently hosts the Seamanship School, which imparts training to executive officers and sailors of the Indian Navy and several friendly foreign naval forces.