All-women Navy team set to circumnavigate globe

The six-member women crew will undertake the expedition on INSV Tarini, which is being skippered by Lt Commander Vartika Josh

Panaji : An all-woman team of the Indian Navy embarked on a circumnavigation of the globe on Saturday with Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman calling it a ‘historic’ day for the country. The minister flagged off the first such expedition by the Indian Navy, 'Navika Sagar Parikrama', at a ceremony at the INS Mandovi Boat Pool near here.

The six-member women crew will circumnavigate the globe on an India-built sail boat, INSV Tarini, which is being skippered by Lt Commander Vartika Joshi. Sitharaman said she was honored to be part of a historic moment in India's nautical history. “This is not an occasion which can happen once in five years, once in ten years.

This is a historic day for India. (It is) a historic day, which will be marked in navigation history and globally as well. Our women are going to stand out for doing something which mostly wouldn’t even have been thought of,” Sitharaman said.

‘Navika Sagar Parikrama’ would be covered in five legs with stopovers at four ports — Fremantle (Australia), Lyttelton (New Zealand), Port Stanley (Falklands) and Cape Town (South Africa) — for replenishment of ration and repairs as necessary, before returning to Goa in April next year.

The crew has so far sailed approximately 20,000 Nm onboard INSV Mhadei and Tarini as part of training, which includes two expeditions to Mauritius (in 2016 and 2017) and a voyage from Goa to Cape Town in December 2016.

INSV Tarini, a 55-foot sailing vessel has been built by Aquarius Shipyard, Goa, and was inducted into the Indian Navy earlier this year. “The project is considered essential towards promoting ocean sailing activities in the Navy while depicting Government of India’s thrust for ‘Nari Shakti’,” a Defence ministry statement said.