Latest news with #DilnaK
India Today
3 days ago
- General
- India Today
Operation Sindoor is a symbol of power: PM Modi's strong rebuke to terrorists
2:33 Lt Commanders Dilna K and Roopa Alagirisamy of the Indian Navy completed Navika Sagar Parikrama II, a daring, eight-month circumnavigation aboard INSV Tarini.
News18
3 days ago
- News18
PM Modi Lauds Women Naval Officers Who Sailed 50,000 Km. What Is Navika Sagar Parikrama?
Last Updated: Two women naval officers -- Lt Commander Dilna K and Lt Commander Roopa Alagirisamy -- returned to India after successful global circumnavigation spanning eight months. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday hailed women's empowerment in the country, especially in the armed forces, and cited the instance of two Indian Navy officers who successfully completed the circumnavigation of the globe under Navika Sagar Parikrama II. Lt Commander Dilna K and Lt Commander Roopa Alagirisamy returned to Goa on Thursday after culminating their eight-month voyage across four continents, three oceans, and three Great Capes. The second edition of the expedition was flagged off from the Naval Ocean Sailing Node, Goa, on October 2, 2024. The Prime Minister, while addressing a public meeting in Bhopal today, hailed their courage and said that they defeated all challenges and troubles in their way and emerged victorious. 'The brave Navy women personnel have successfully completed a voyage of oceans spanning 250 days. They visited all around the world. They did it on such a boat that does not run via motors but uses wind. We all know the storm in the oceans. The two daughters defeated all troubles like bad weather and storms of the oceans. This shows that no matter how big the challenge may be, Indian women can emerge victorious," he said. Notably, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh presided over the flag-in ceremony on Thursday, formally marking the success of the global circumnavigation. He received the two naval officers and said that they have made the nation proud by waving the Tricolour across the world. What Is Navika Sagar Parikrama II? The two Indian Navy women officers covered a distance of around 50,000 kilometers (47,041 km) in nearly 250 days aboard Indian Naval Sailing Vessel (INSV) Tarini. The expedition began on October 2 last year with an aim to cover over 23,400 nautical miles. The return was scheduled for May 2025. This was the second edition of the Navika Sagar Parikrama expedition that took place in 2018 with an all-women crew onboard. However, this time, only two officers featured on the vessel, who set out to cover the globe, significantly raising the challenges that may have arisen during the expedition. The expedition's route was planned with four major international stops, chosen for both practical and diplomatic reasons. The first important stop was on November 9, 2024, when INSV Tarini reached Fremantle, Australia, after a long and challenging 39-day journey covering over 4,900 nautical miles from Goa. The two officers then continued their voyage to Lyttelton, New Zealand, for their second international stop, and later continued to Port Stanley in the Falkland Islands, a British territory. With each stop, they had a chance to carry out maintenance, restock supplies, and take part in cultural exchanges, while also presenting India's naval strength in front of the world. Their fourth and last international stop was in Cape Town, South Africa. INSV Tarini was warmly welcomed in the country with the South African Naval Band holding a special welcome ceremony, showing the global respect the expedition had earned. From Cape Town, the vessel started its sail back to Goa on April 15, 2025.
Hans India
3 days ago
- Health
- Hans India
MyVoice: Views of our readers 31st May 2025
A 'World No Tobacco Day' resolve May 31 is observed as World No Tobacco Day by the World Health Organization every year. The theme for 2025 is 'Burning products, exposing bad intentions,' which primarily aims to make people aware of the harmful impacts of tobacco consumption and its various other products on our health, including increasing the risk of cancer, respiratory diseases and heart-related illnesses. According to a survey, 42 per cent of men and 14 per cent of women in India consume tobacco. Products like bidis or plain tobacco are so inexpensive that the poor and labour class easily fall into the vicious trap of addiction. India has the highest number of cancer patients among men. While, globally, lung cancer is the most common cancer among men, in our country, oral cancer, also caused by tobacco consumption, takes a heavier toll among men due. We must take immediate steps—especially through various community groups, NGOs, and government initiatives—to reduce tobacco consumption. Only then can we save our country's poor and youth from this grave threat. Dr. Jitesh Mori Kutch, Gujarat Two women from Indian Navy create history Two women from the Indian Navy's sailing team aboard INSV Tarini returned after completing their mission, Navika Sagar Parikrama II. Commander Dilna K and Lt Commander Roopa A created history by becoming the first Indian women to circumnavigate the globe in a sailing vessel in double-handed mode—relying solely on each other, sails, and wind power. They also created several other records-their yacht Tarini becoming the first Indian sailing vessel to cross Point Nemo, the oceanic pole of inaccessibility; the crew also crossed the Roaring Forties, Prime Meridian, and the Cape of Good Hope, enduring some of the toughest sailing conditions on Earth. They have demonstrated that Indian women are ready to take up any ventures and prove their mettle. Indian women are gradually moving from a conservative nutshell into a progressive and liberal one, which augurs well for a fast-changing society. By defying all accompanying odds, Commander Dilna and Lt Commander Roopa have become role-models for the younger generation, especially our girls. M Pradyu, Kannur Kudos to first NDA women batch The first batch of women from the NDA has proven that they are second to none. Their achievements inspire countless others, embodying resilience and dedication. They've made our nation proud, ensuring that the tricolour continues to soar high. Hope more girls take up this wonderful career in the future. TS Karthik, Kilpauk, Chennai-10 RBI surplus: What's there for the people? The RBI's record surplus transfer of ₹2.11 lakh crore to the government has made the headlines — but will it reach household kitchens is the million-dollar question. In times of high inflation, job insecurity, and falling savings, numbers alone don't inspire hope. Unless this fiscal windfall is directed towards public welfare, employment generation, and economic revival, it's just ink on a ledger. Real growth isn't measured in reserves but in relief. Before the government pats itself on the back, it must answer: how does this gain benefit the struggling citizen? After all, surplus without support is a hollow celebration. Hasnain, MMERC, Mumbai 50% of IPL earning should go to defence fund We suggest that 50 per cent of the IPL earnings should go to the Union Government's, or PMO's 'Border-defence expenditure Fund'. This money should exclusively be used to e-monitor the border like installing CCTV cameras, drones, satellites; fencing walls wherever feasible around Pakistan and Bangladesh and to cover other military-related expenses. However, the priority should be 'peace talks' with Pakistan and put an end to all terrorist camps in Pakistan. In addition, every citizen of India (143 crore population) should pay at least one rupee to the defence fund. The revenue so generated can go a long way in becoming self-reliant. Sreelekha PS, Boudhnagar, Secunderabad-61
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Indian Express
‘7 lives in 8 months': Two women Navy officers brave navigation blackout, 20-foot waves, unforgiving cold in historic voyage around globe
'Yes, we made it,' beamed Lieutenant Commander Dilna K. 'I feel I have lived all my seven lives in these eight months,' said her fellow crew member, Lieutenant Commander Roopa A. With these words, the two women officers of the Indian Navy sailed into Goa's Mormugao port aboard INSV Tarini on Thursday evening, etching their names in history. After sailing for 239 days and covering 25,600 nautical miles across four continents, three oceans and three Great Capes, the sailors have become the first Indian duo to circumnavigate the globe without external assistance and relying solely on wind power. 'On October 2, we left Goa with a lot of hope and courage. Today, we stand here alive and strong together,' said Lt Cdr Dilna. The expedition was a promise she made to her father. 'He is no more with me, but his presence was felt throughout the journey,' she said. The officers recalled how, 'in the dead of a night', when they were trying to steer clear of a cyclone, they had a 'complete navigation panel blackout' in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. 'We lost the GPS, boat heading, wind instrument, autopilot… It took us three hours, but it felt like an eternity to get the systems back under control,' said Lt Cdr Roopa. 'We saw the ocean and waves raging in anger on some days, with waves as high as 20 feet tall hitting us like a wall. But we also had days when the sea was as calm as a mirror… And we lived through all of this in unforgiving cold, which almost froze us. The world of the sea… it's the same planet, but a whole different world out there. I have seen the sea glow at night, the sky filled with galaxies, shooting stars and sheer darkness that brings the mind and body to peace,' she said. During the voyage, the crew recounted facing winds up to 50 knots and stormy weather as they navigated through the treacherous Drake Passage and rounded Cape Horn. The third leg of the journey from Lyttleton to Port Stanley was especially arduous. 'There are rarely any records of someone being at the exact coordinates of Point Nemo — the ocean's remotest location from any land, where the closest humans are in the space station. Well, it's not so remote anymore for us Indians. Then, there was Drake Passage and rounding Cape Horn — the Everest of every sailor, and also their nightmare. Halfway around the world, the sea humbled us and made us students again,' said Dilna. Speaking at the flag-in ceremony of INSV Tarini, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh praised the two officers for their courage, commitment and endurance in completing the historic circumnavigation expedition, and termed their voyage the epitome of nari shakti. Singh also mentioned Operation Sindoor. 'The women pilots and other women soldiers played a crucial role in the effective action taken by India against terrorism in Pakistan and PoK during Operation Sindoor,' he said. The Defence Minister said that ever since the participation of women in the armed forces has increased, they have performed exceptionally well in every role and fulfilled every responsibility. 'From the heights of Siachen to the depths of the ocean, Indian women are fulfilling many responsibilities, which has further bolstered the security circle of the country. Today, the doors of Sainik Schools are open for girls, and 17 women are passing out from the National Defence Academy this month,' Singh said. The expedition was flagged off from INS Mandovi in Goa on October 2, 2024, as part of the second edition of Navika Sagar Parikrama.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Time of India
Tarini is back home, Dilna & Roopa sail into record books
PANAJI: At 5.22pm Thursday, as Lt Cdrs Dilna K and Roopa Alagirisamy stepped on Indian soil after a 239-day historic voyage, they became the first Indian duo to sail across the planet. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "Yes. We made it." These four words from Dilna summed up the poignant and emotional 25,400-nautical-mile journey that began Oct 2 from the banks of the Mandovi. "We saw the ocean and waves rising in anger some days. The waves were as high as 20 feet tall, looking like a wall. But we also had days when the sea was as calm as a mirror, and it felt heavenly, and time felt meaningless," said Roopa, narrating their audacious endeavour to fly the Tricolour and naval ensign "in every sea and land across the world". The circumnavigation took them through four oceans, crossing the equator twice and rounding the three great capes - a route acknowledged as the gold standard in ocean sailing. The mission was part of the Navy's broader initiative to showcase women's role in maritime operations. It also aimed to inspire a new generation of women to embrace adventure and take to the seas - a domain long dominated by men. "I feel I lived all my seven lives in these eight months. This is not going to be my last journey, I am sorry," said Roopa with a laugh, as she addressed her family. The voyage tested not just mental endurance but seamanship too. The naval officers navigated some of the world's most treacherous waters, including the South Pacific and the Southern Ocean. They battled towering waves, gale-force winds and long spells of isolation with only each other for company and their 56-foot yacht as their shelter. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now During the circumnavigation, the duo suffered a complete navigation blackout in the middle of the night in the Pacific Ocean. "We lost GPS, boat heading, wind instrument, auto-pilot... everything. It took us three hours, but it felt like an eternity to get back the systems. This actually gave us a false sense of security in modern equipment," Roopa said. The duo covered 25,400 nautical miles over a period of eight months with port calls at Fremantle (Australia), Lyttleton (New Zealand), Port Stanley (Falkland Islands) and Cape Town (South Africa). Commander Abhilash Tomy (retd), the first Indian to sail around the Earth non-stop, provided mentorship to the duo. His survival and maintenance experience helped the duo master the critical skill of dual-handed sailing. Captain Vipul Mehershi, Captain Atul Sinha, and Commander Nikhil Hegde also played a key role in preparing the officers and the vessel for the expedition. The two naval officers' triumphant return at Mormugao Port was witnessed by defence minister Rajnath Singh and chief of naval staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi.
