NEW DELHI: An all-women team from the Indian navy has set off on a historic mission to sail around the world. The crew will begin their voyage in the 55-foot vessel, from Goa, and is expected to return in March next year. Called Navika Sagar Parikrama, the journey will be covered in five legs, and include stop-over's at Fremantle (Australia), Littleton (New Zealand), Port Stanley (Falklands), and Cape Town (South Africa).
The first-ever Indian circumnavigation by an all-women crew of INS Tarini, will be captained by Lieutenant Commander Vartika Joshi. Crew members include Lieutenant Commanders Pratibha Jamwal and P Swathi, and Lieutenants S Vijaya Devi, B Aishwarya and Payal Gupta. Prime Minister Narendra Modi commended all of them for their grit and valour.
Delivering his monthly radio address 'Mann Ki Baat', Modi said, “I had the opportunity to meet some young daughters, some, who were born in the Himalayas, who had absolutely no connection with the sea. Six of these young daughters are in the Navy. Their grit and zeal is inspiring for all of us. These six young women will embark on a voyage across the seas, in a small boat, INS Tarini. Each and every Indian would be proud of these daughters. I salute their valour and have asked them to share their experiences with the entire country.”
“Their expedition has been named, Navika Sagar Parikrama. They will circumnavigate the globe and return home, after many months. Sometimes, they spend 40 days on the seas in one go, at times, 30. Our six daughters riding the waves of the high seas, with courage, is the first instance of its kind in the world. I am making a separate arrangement for their experiences of heroism, a tale of personal experiences and I would be happy to bring you the stories of these daughters. My best wishes and blessings to these daughters,” he said.
