Willington Island is the largest artificial island in India, which is a part of Kochi city of Ernakulam district in the state of Kerala. Willingdon Island is one among the most beautiful locations in Kochi. The island, which is named after Lord Willingdon who was a British Viceroy of India, is a home for Port of Kochi, Kochi Naval Base, Southern Naval Command of the Indian Navy, Central Institute of Fisheries Technology, etc. The island was created by filling dredged soil around a previously existing, small, natural island, during the deepening of Vembanad Lake to create a new port.
This is an installation ‘The Anchor that made this Island’, placed in-front of Merchant Navy Club in Willington Island. The Anchor in the installation is the one of three salvaged main anchors of the dredger CSD Lord Willingdon, that played a crucial role in the development of Cochin Port and creation of Willington Island. Dredger CSD Willingdon, which was brought from Scotland in 1938, sank off from the Cochin harbor in 1979. But the remains of the dredger - the Anchor - was installed as a memorial. This artistic memorial installation, which is conceived and executed by famous Artist Maraprabhu Ramachandran is a tribute to the long saga of ambition, skill, determination and perseverance of Robert Bristow and his team in making one of the safest harbors in the peninsula.
Out of the three salvaged anchors of the dredger CSD Willington, other two anchors are kept in the main port building at Willington Island and Fort Kochi Beach.