Staff Reporter

Panaji

Indian Navy’s INSV Tarini returned to Goa on Tuesday after undertaking a voyage of 17,000 nautical miles. The six-member crew completed the historic trans-ocean inter-continental voyage in 188 days.

A grand ‘flag in’ ceremony was held on Tuesday at the Indian Naval Watermanship Training Centre (INWTC), INS Mandovi, Goa, to honour the six-member crew, including two exceptional women officers.

The ceremony was graced by Union Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, Admiral R. Hari Kumar, Chief of the Naval Staff, and Rani Rampal, ex-captain of the Indian women’s hockey team.

The crew’s extraordinary courage, resilience, and unwavering spirit were 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. M.A. Zulfikar, Cdr. Divya Purohit, and Cdr. AC Doke.

The 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 Union Minister Smriti Irani appreciated the crew especially two women officers for their courageous journey. She announced that her ministry will tell the story of these courageous women Navy officers in all the anganwadis across the country.