Two Indian Navy Women Officers Set To Sail Around The World

Lt Commander Roopa A and Lt Commander Dilna K have been preparing themselves for the 'Sagar Parikrama' expedition for the last three years and will undertake the expedition on board the Indian naval sailing vessel (INSV) Tarini.

New Delhi:Two Indian Navy women officers -- Lt Commander Roopa A and Lt Commander Dilna K -- are set to embark on an extraordinary sailing expedition circumnavigating the globe.

The duo have been preparing themselves for the 'Sagar Parikrama' expedition for the last three years, the Indian Navy said in a statement on Sunday. It also unveiled a logo on this account. The octagonal shape at the centre of the logo depicts the Indian Navy, while the sun signifies a celestial body and the compass, guiding the sailors through the challenging seas.

The two officers will undertake the expedition on board the Indian naval sailing vessel (INSV) Tarini. As part of the six-member crew, they had participated in the trans-oceanic expedition from Goa to Rio de Janeiro via Cape Town and back last year.

Thereafter, they undertook a sailing expedition from Goa to Port Blair and back in double-handed mode. Further, the duo successfully undertook a sortie from Goa to Port Louis, Mauritius, again in dual-handed mode early this year, the Navy said.

A gruelling voyage

"Sagar Parikrama would be a gruelling voyage requiring extreme skills, physical fitness and mental alertness. The officers have been training rigorously and have thousands of miles of experience under their belt," Navy spokesperson Commander Vivek Madhwal said.

He said the two are also being trained under the mentorship of ace circumnavigator, and Golden Globe Race hero, Cdr Abhilash Tomy (Retd), KC, NM. The circumnavigation of INSV Tarini will be a significant step forward in India's ocean sailing enterprise and maritime endeavours, showcasing the nation's growing prominence in global maritime activities and gender equality on the high seas, he said.

"Indian Navy has made significant efforts to revitalise the sailing tradition, emphasising its commitment to preserve maritime heritage and promote seamanship skills," the Navy spokesperson said.

He said the Indian Navy has taken centre stage in ocean sailing expeditions through the pioneering efforts of sail training ships INS -- Tarangini and INS Sudarshini, and circumnavigating onboard INSV Mhadei and Tarini.

"Continuing with the celebration of maritime skill and adventure, two Indian Navy women officers -- Lt Commander Roopa A and Lt Commander Dilna K would be embarking on the extraordinary expedition of circumnavigating the globe on board INSV Tarini very shortly," Madhwal added. INSV Tarini is known for circumnavigating the globe with an all-women officer crew in the historic first 'Navika Sagar Parikrama' in 2017.

The circumnavigation of INSV Tarini will be a significant step forward in India's ocean sailing enterprise and maritime endeavours, showcasing the nation's growing prominence in global maritime activities and gender equality, the spokesperson said.

Women who have circumnavigated the globe

Poland's Krystyna Chojnowska-Liskiewicz was the first woman to sail solo around the world. She completed her voyage in April 1978 over two years after she had sailed from the Canary Islands in March 1976, covering 31,166 nautical miles. Earlier this year, Cole Brauer, a 29-year-old woman from New York, became the first woman in the United States to sail solo non-stop across the globe.

First Indian to complete solo circumnavigation of the globe

Captain Dilip Donde, a former Indian Naval officer, was the first Indian to complete a solo circumnavigation of the globe under sail. He executed Project 'Sagar Parikrama' from April 2006 to May 2010. It involved building a sailboat in India and then sailing it around the world. Donde became the 190th person globally to complete the journey solo.

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