Navika Sagar Parikrama

INSV Tarini
History
India
Name:	INSV Tarini
Namesake:	Tara Tarini temple Ganjam, Odisha
Ordered:	1
Builder:	Aquarius Shipyard Private Limited
Laid down:	27 March 2016
Commissioned:	18 February 2017
In service:	1
Status:	1st circumnavigation of globe completed
General characteristics
Length:	56 feet

Crew meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Navika Sagar Parikrama is the name of expedition for circumnavigation of the globe on INSV Tarini by Indian Navy's Women Naval Officers. The six-member all-woman team circumnavigated and managed the whole operation in their first ever global journey. The voyage finished on 21 May 2018 when the crew returned to Goa, with only 4 port calls in Fremantle Australia; Lyttelton, New Zealand; Port Stanley, Falklands; and Cape Town, South Africa and a forced technical halt at Port Louis, Mauritius.^[1] Before starting their voyage the crew also met up with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The boat sailed in after travelling 21,600 nautical miles on Monday, 21 May 2018 at INS Mandovi, Goa.^[2]

Significance

The significance of Navika Sagar Parikrama voyage is in with consonance with National policy to women empowerment to attain their full potential, showcase India’s Nari Shakti on world platform and help revolutionise attitudes and mindset towards women by raising the visibility of their participation in challenging environment. The voyage also aims to showcase the Make in India initiative of the government by sailing on board an Indian built INSV Tarini. It also encourage use of environment friendly non conventional renewable energy; as the ship harnesses wind. The crew will also monitor and report marine pollution levels.^[3] Apart from that the crew is also expected to interact with local people of Indian origin as well as collate and update Meteorological/Ocean Wave data on daily basis for analysis by research and development organisations and India Meteorological Department for a better forecast the weather. ^[4]

Training

Prior to the circumnavigation, the crew trained for nearly three years which included theoretical training at various Indian Naval schools in Mumbai and Kerala.^[5] Followed by hands on training on INSV Mhadei and INSV Tarini. The crew trained for an initial one year under India’s first solo circumnavigator Captain Dilip Donde who retired in Dec 2016 and for nearly two years under Captain Atool Sinha, an Asian Games silver medal winner and Officer-in-Charge Ocean Sailing Node, Goa. The team undertook various sailings from Vishakhapatnam to Goa via Chennai, Kochi and Karwar, Mauritius in 2016 and 2017, and a voyage from Goa to Cape Town in 2016.^[6] Two of the Navika Sagar Parikrama team also participated in the Cape to Rio Race 2017 onboard INSV Mhadei skippered by Captain Atool Sinha, from Cape Town who led a mixed crew of men and women into the race.^[7] Team Tarini sailed for 22,000 nautical miles on board INSV Mhadei and INSV Tarini as part of their training.^{[8][9][10][11]}

Nari Shakti Puraskar

On occasion of International Women's Day on March 8, 2018 the crew of INSV Tarini that is part of Navika Sagar Parikrama namely Lt Cdr Vartika Joshi, Lt Payal Gupta, Lt Cdr Pratibha Jamwal, Lt Cdr P Swathi, Lt Aishwarya Boddapati, and Lt Shourgrakpam Vijaya Devi were conferred the Nari Shakti Puraskar for outstanding contribution towards women empowerment. The award presented by Ramnath Kovind, the President of India was received by Lieutenant S Vijaya Devi on behalf of the team of INSV Tarini.^[12]

Crew

The expedition was flagged off by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Goa on September 10, 2017.^[13] The 6 member all women crew includes:-

Naval Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba with the all women crew

1. Lt Cdr Vartika Joshi, also the skipper
2. Lt Cdr Pratibha Jamwal
3. Lt Cdr Aishwarya Boddapati
4. Lt Cdr P Swathi
5. Lt Shourgrakpam Vijaya Devi
6. Lt Payal Gupta

While Lt Cdr Vartika Joshi and Lt Payal Gupta hail from Uttarakhand, Lt Cdr Pratibha Jamwal is from Himachal Pradesh, Lt Cdr P Swathi is from Andhra Pradesh, Lt Cdr Aishwarya Boddapati from Telangana and Lt Shourgrakpam Vijaya Devi hails from Manipur. ^[14] The 6 members were conferred with Nau Sena Medal for completing the arduous journey, in the list of gallantry award announced on August 14, 2018; on the eve of India's 72nd Independence Day ^[15]

First Stop

INSV Tarini attempting to circumnavigate the globe entered the port of Fremantle in Western Australia on Oct 23, 2017 on completion of first leg of their journey.^[16] On arrival to Australian shore, the crew was greeted by High Commissioner of India to Australia Dr. A. M. Gondane and by a large number of local community. During their two weeks stay in Perth, the crew met representatives of Western Australia Government, members of WA Parliament, and Councils of City of Perth and City of Fremantle. The crew also interacted with students from local schools as well as with Indian diaspora, visited Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre at UWA, UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission office and Bureau of Meteorology in Perth.^[17] On Nov 5, 2017 after two week stay the crew left Fremantle, Australia for its onwards journey to Lyttleton, New Zealand on its second leg.^[18]

Second Stop

INSV Tarini on 29 november 2017 entered the Lyttelton port in New Zealand on its second leg of maiden voyage to circumnavigate the globe. The crew were welcomed by Indian High Commissioner to New Zealand Sanjiv Kohli. The vessel has covered over 7800 nautical miles from its starting point in Goa, crossing the Equator on September 17, 2017 and Cape Leeuwin on November 9 to reach here. ^[19][20] INSV Tarini was thrown open to visitors at Lyttelton Port on December 3 and nearly 200 people visited the vessel. On December 12, 2017 the crew left for the third leg of its journey towards Falkland Islands. During their two weeks stay the crew visited Rehua Marae, a traditional Maori cultural centre. They also visited a few tourist destinations near Christchurch, including Hanmer hot springs and the French harbour, Akaroa as well as Naval Point Yacht Club, Canterbury and Ara Institute, New Zealand, where a presentation on Navika Sagar Parikrama was given to audience. The crew on December 5 was welcomed by the city of Christchurch with a traditional festive march, known as the Santa Parade. More than 200 school children attended a presentation and interaction session with the crew at Prebbleton School.^[21]

Third Stop

INSV Tarini on 21 january 2018 entered the Port Stanley in Falkland Island on its third leg of maiden voyage to circumnavigate the globe. The crew had a testing time while crossing the Pacific Ocean as it experienced rough weather and stormy winds that spanned 41 days. Add to it the extremely cold climate condition they had to overcome. The crew reportedly endured sea wind in excess of 60 knots and ocean waves of up to 7 meters on this leg of the passage. The crew was welcomed by Mr Nigel Philips, CBE, Governor of the Falkland Islands, and her Majesty’s Commissioner of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. As part of their stay in harbour, the crew interacted with students from Falkland Islands Community School for Secondary Education, Brownies and Girl Guides, Beavers and Boy Scouts and young adults from the Hockey Club.^[22][23] The crew of INSV Tarini after spending a fortnight in the port departed on its 4th leg of journey on 4th february 2018 for its onward journey to Cape Town, South Africa.^[24]

Fourth Stop

On its last leg before home stretch to Goa, INSV Tarini reached the 4th stop of Cape Town on March 2, 2018. So far the vessel has covered over 17,500 nautical miles from its start in Goa since September 2017. The vessel is expected to reach its home port of Goa by April 2018 by which time it would have completed 22,000 nautical miles.^{[25] [26] [27]} The crew was received in Cape Town by Mayor Helen Zille, Ruchira Kamboj, High Commissioner of India to South Africa, Indian Consul General of Johannesburg and Cape Town, as well as chairperson of Western Cape and other South African Sailing Associations as well as members of Indian diaspora with bouquets, dhol beats and Holi colour.^[28] As the crew was busy with completing its circumnavigation, crew didn't forget to make their followers aware of their activities in real time with blogs and social media updates. Lt. Aishwarya Boddapati has described what she felt seeing the aurora lights in December, 2017; celebrating a crewmember’s birthday at sea, visiting dignitary, and basking in the beauty around her.^[29] The crew left Cape Town for its home stretch on March 14, 2018, but before leaving attended several functions organised in their honour. They met legendary former South African cricketer Jonty Rhodes, MasterChef South Africa 2014 Kamini Pather and 8 time South Africa Wind Surfing Champion Roxy Davis as well as Lewis Pugh, who is the first person to complete a long-distance swim in every ocean of the world and also a UNEP Patron of the Ocean.^[30]

Home Coming

INSV Tarini after completing their epic journey reached Goa on May 21, 2018 after completing 21, 980 nautical miles journey.^[31] The crew members namely Vartika Joshi, Payal Gupta, Pratibha Jamwal, P Swathi, Aishwarya Boddapati & S Vijaya Devi were welcomed by Nirmala Sitharaman, the Defence Minister of India and Admiral Sunil Lanba, the Indian Navy chief. The team completed the expedition called Navika Sagar Parikrama referring to circumnavigation of the globe in 254 days. The crew passed Indian Ocean, Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean and the Great Capes namely Africa's Cape of Good Hope, Australia's Cape Leeuwin, and South America's Cape Horn.^[32] While crossing the Pacific Ocean the crew encountered hurricanes and monstrous waves ^[33] The boat was actually supposed to be flagged in, in the month of April, 2018. But a damaged steering gear, forced the crew to make an unscheduled stop in Port Louis, Mauritius for emergency repairs. The Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi also congratulated them on arrival.^[34][35][36]

Notes

References

External links

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