Defence
Women Officers Selected By Indian Navy For Solo Global Circumnavigation Return After A 17,000-Nm Long Trans-Atlantic Voyage
INSV Tarini in which Lt Commander Dilna K and Lt Commander Roopa Alagirisamy completed their race 'Cape to Rio Race 2023'. (Picture: PIB)
Two female officers that the Navy has selected for Solo Global Circumnavigation will return home on 23 May after completing a 17,000 nautical miles long trans-atlantic voyage.
Lt Cdr Dilna K and Lt Cdr Roopa A are part of a six-team crew that are returning after taking part in a trans-atlantic race 'the Cape 2 Rio Race'.
They are returning with the Indian Navy's sailing vessel 'INSV Tarini', in which they sailed to Rio de Janerio in Brazil via Cape Town in South Africa.
The entire voyage of 17,000 nautical miles took the crew almost seven-months (188 days) to complete.
"This is a true display of Nari Shakti, a clarion call from the government of India to empower women. To applaud the determination and courage of the vessel and crew, this special occasion will be graced by the Guest of Honour Smt Smriti Irani, Union Minister for Women and Child Development," said a statement released by the government.
This is trans-atlantic race was a part of the Navy's mission to send a female naval officer to take part in the Global Circumnavigation Race — Solo.
The two officers, however, started sailing just two years ago, and in that short period of time, both have sailed more than 17,000 nautical miles, which is a significant achievement.
The first part of their training, according to reports, happened last year when they sailed to Kochi, Vishakapatnam and Mauritius.
The second part of their training will complete when they will return back to Goa, tomorrow.
This is coming just a month after Retd Commander Abhilash Tomy completed the Golden Globe Race (GGR) and came second, becoming the first Indian to achieve this feat.
His achievement of becoming the first Indian to complete the race has rekindled the navy's commitment to supporting female officers in their own solo circumnavigations of the world.
Earlier, in 2017-2018, the first all-women crew of the Indian Navy completed a circumnavigation of the world as part of Navika Sagar Parikrama.
