Goa, 22 May 2023

 

The trans-ocean inter-continental voyage by the crew of INSV Tarini is reaching its completion, marking a remarkable achievement in the field of ocean sailing. A grand 'Flag in' ceremony will be held on 23 May 2023 at the Indian Naval Watermanship Training Centre (INWTC), INS Mandovi, Goa, to honor the six-member crew, including two exceptional women officers. The ceremony will be graced by Smt Smriti Irani, Union Minister for Women and Child Development, as the Guest of Honour and Dr. Pramod Sawant, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Goa, as the Chief Guest. Admiral R Hari Kumar, Chief of the Naval Staff, and Ms. Rani Rampal, ex-Captain of the Indian Women Hockey Team, will be in attendance.

INSV Tarini, after an arduous journey spanning 17,000 nautical miles over seven months, is finally returning home. The crew's extraordinary courage, resilience, and unwavering spirit will be showcased during this momentous event. Of particular note are the two women officers, Lt Cdr Dilna K and Lt Cdr Roopa A, who participated in the entire expedition, demonstrating the power of Nari Shakti (women empowerment).  Lt Cdr Dilna and Lt Cdr Roopa undertook the challenging voyage from Goa to Rio de Janeiro, via Cape Town and back, sailing for an impressive 188 days on the vessel . Other participants include Capt Atool Sinha, Lt Cdr Ashutosh Sharma, Lt Aviral Keshav, Cdr Nikhil Hegde, Cdr MA Zulfikar, Cdr Divya Purohit, and Cdr AC Doke.

The Indian Navy has been actively promoting ocean sailing, and this expedition is part of its mission to circumnavigate the globe. Captain Dilip Donde became the first Indian to achieve this feat in 2009-2010, followed by Cdr Abhilash Tomy, who became the first Asian skipper to participate in two circumnavigations. In the recent Golden Globe Race 2022, Cdr Abhilash Tomy (retd) achieved a podium finish, overcoming immense challenges during the grueling race.

The Navika Sagar Parikrama, a previous sailing expedition by six women naval officers, further increased the popularity of ocean sailing within the navy and the country. The current voyage of INSV Tarini is a significant step towards the Navy's upcoming endeavor to send a woman on a solo circumnavigation of the globe.

The officers who participated in this remarkable expedition were selected through a rigorous process at the Ocean Sailing Node (OSN) established at INS Mandovi on 24 Aug 16. The OSN, under the Indian Naval Sailing Association (INSA) based in New Delhi, aims to promote and undertake ocean sailing activities.

 

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PIB Panaji | Gautam SK/D.Rane

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