lucknow discontent over poor quality of dal pulses served in the mess to indian noncommissioned officers and sailors of royal indian navy rin led to a revolt which not only shook the british empire but ultimately became the last war before independence in february of 1946 based at bombay mumbai hmis talwar was the signaltraining establishment of the rin with 1500 officers and ratings enlisted sailors on board it was the secondlargest training centre in the british empire back in those days the majority of indian sailors primarily hailed from villages and were farmers son most of them had joined navy with a hope for better life but in reality all they faced was discrimination by the britishers said pramod kapoor who has written a book on the topic he was speaking at the conclusion of military literature festival at surya auditorium on monday the last straw which triggered the mutiny was the poorquality food being served to ratings on february 17 night ratings refused to eat dinner as the meal served to them was watery and full of smallsized stones when they reiterated their demand for decent food the british officer said that beggars cant be choosers the next morning some 1500 ratings walked out of the mess hall in protest against the poorquality dal he said however soon after it was declared that this will not remain a mere food protest but a formal list of demands including a call to release all indian political prisoners including ina pows will be submitted by february 21st the british admiral john henry godfrey sent the army to surround the barracks of ratings and ordered maratha soldiers to fire at the barracks but they refused later the british troops attacked ratings by the end of february 23 1946 more than 400 people including indian sailors british troops and others were killed and ultimately the ratings surrendered there was no support from congress to ratings he claimed