2 naval women officers complete circumnavigation of the world; Rajnath Singh praises them
Panaji: Two women officers of the Indian Navy dropped anchor at Goa's Mormugao Port on Thursday, completing a double-handed circumnavigation of the world in just a little over eight months.
'Yes, we made it,' said Lt Commander Dilna K and Lt Commander Roopa A, who achieved the feat, as their yacht, Indian Navy Sailing Vessel (INSV) Tarini, reached the port for the flag-in ceremony attended by defence minister Rajnath Singh.
Rajnath Singh praised the two officers for facing the physical and mental obstacles head-on after setting sail on INSV Tarini on October 2, 2024, overcoming them with strength.
'You must document the experiences of this journey with the same spirit with which you completed it. Record your bitter-sweet experiences and learnings so that the future generation, especially our young women, are inspired by it,' Shri Rajnath Singh told the two officers..
'The miraculous work done by you is not only your achievement but also our achievement as a nation,' Singh said.
Commander Dilna said, 'On October 2, 2024 we left Goa with a lot of hope and courage for this expedition, and today we stand here alive and strong together, we flew our national flag and Indian Navy flag at every sea and land across the Earth. Whenever we landed, we were greeted with cheers and care, reminding us of the goodwill we have as Indians.'
Commander Roopa, who 'lived all [her] seven lives in this voyage', said, 'The world of the sea is on this same planet, but it's a different whole world out there. I have seen the sea glow at night, the sky filled with galaxies, shooting stars, sheer darkness that brings the mind and body to peace. In this voyage, I found a friend feeling and a friend in myself on both I can trust in my life today. How many can?'
Over eight months, the duo covered a distance of 25,400 nautical miles (approx 50,000km) across four continents, three oceans and three Great Capes, braving extreme weather conditions.
According to Navy officials, the duo made port calls at Fremantle (Australia), Lyttleton (New Zealand), Port Stanley (Falkland Islands) and Cape Town (South Africa). The officers engaged in numerous diplomatic and outreach engagements, interacting with parliamentarians, Indian diaspora, school children, Naval cadets and university faculty across the globe.
'In a rare gesture, they were honoured as special invitees at the Western Australian Parliament in recognition of their achievements. Their accomplishments received accolades from local communities, international sailing bodies and foreign parliaments serving as a beacon of women empowerment, maritime excellence and national pride,' the Indian Navy said in a statement.
The crew encountered winds upto 50 knots (93 kmph) coupled with stormy weather conditions and extremely cold temperatures during the journey, setting the ultimate test of human endurance, perseverance and sailing skills.
The circumnavigation of the earth under sail was first attempted by the Navy's Capt Dilip Dhonde who became the first Indian to do so. It was followed by Commander Abhilash Tomy who became the first Indian to do so nonstop. An all-women crew of six naval women successfully completed a circumnavigation of the earth on the same sailing yacht INSV Tarini as part of the first edition of Navika Sagar Parikrama in 2017.
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