February 18 was the beginning of a new chapter for Indian Navy. It was the induction of INSV Tarini. Tarini is an all-woman crew hi-tech sailboat. In fact, it is the first Indian all women sailboat that is on a global expedition of the Indian Navy. That is why we call it Navika Sagar Parikrama. Initially, its plan was to commence in August but there was a month’s delay. This, in fact, is Indian Navy’s second sailboat. The induction ceremony was at INS Mandovi Boat Pool. Aquarius Shipyard, Divar, Goa, is the creator of this sloop. As a matter of fact, it is quite a challenging expedition. The women crew has more than 10,000 nautical miles on INSV Mhadei to their credit. That includes a rough monsoon and heavy wind voyage from India to Mauritius and back to Goa and then to Cape Town. Kudos to the team.
Pic Source: PIB
INSV Tarini is a feature-rich and improvised boat. INSV Mhadei was Indian Navy’s first sailboat. Tarini is far better than Mhadei in terms of features and improvements. The laying of the keel of the vessel was almost a year back. Precisely, it was on March 27, 2016, at the Aquarius Shipyard. Warship Overseeing Team, Goa was observing keenly each and every minor development happening. That is why Aquarius was able to deliver it beforehand. That, in fact, gave ample time for extensive trials of the boat. Lieutenant Commander Vartika Joshi is the skipper of the boat. Crew members in her Navika Sagar Parikrama team include Lieutenant Commander Pratibha Jamwal, Lieutenant Vijaya Devi, Lieutenant Payal Gupta, Lieutenant Patarapalli Swathi, and Lieutenant Aishwarya Boddapati. The other two sailing vessels in Indian Navy’s kitty are Tarangini and Sudarshini. In fact, all four are the proud result of Make In India.
Navika Sagar Parikrama Sailboat Tarini Reaches Fremantle
The project Navika Sagar Parikrama aims to promote Ocean Sailing in the Navy. In addition, it also depicts Indian government’s belief in Nari Shakti or Women Power.Before this, there have been two solo circumnavigation ventures but by men. The first one was by Capt Dilip Donde that was from August 19, 2009, to May 19, 2010. It was on the first Indian vessel INSV Mhadei. After that, there was the first Indian non-stop solo venture by Cdr Abhilash Tomy from November 1, 2012, to March 31, 2013. Let us have a look at the crew of INSV Tarini. Team leader Lt Cdr Vartika Joshi hails from Rishikesh, Uttarakhand. She was part of the team sailing from Rio De Janeiro to Cape Town in 2014 in INSV Mhadei. She was also part of Port Blair – Vizag – Chennai – Kochi project on Mhadei. And that is not all.
Vartika Joshi was the skipper for a number of pojects on INSV Mhadei like Vizag to Goa project in February 16. Another project on the same vessel was Goa to Mauritius and back from May to July 2016. And then it was Goa to Cape Town in December 2016. She was also the leader on INSV Tarini from Goa to Mauritius and back from May to July 2017. Lt Cdr Pratibha Jamwal is from Kullu, Himachal Pradesh. She was onboard Mhadei in 2014 from Goa to Port Blair. Then, during February 2016, it was Vizag to Goa. In July 2016, she was part of the team from Goa to Mauritius and return from May to July 2016. And then Goa to Cape Town in December 2016. She was also onboard INSV Tarini in May-July 2017 from Goa to Mauritius. Lt Cdr Swathi P belongs to Vizag, Andhra Pradesh.
Crew Details of Navika Sagar Parikrama
She was onboard Mhadei from Cape Town to Goa in 2014 and then from Vizaf to Kochi in February 2016. After that it was Goa to Maritius and back during May-July 2016 and from Goa to Cape Town in December 2016. She was also a paticipant of the recent Cape to Rio race in 2017. In addition, she was also onboard Tarini during May-July 2017 from Goa to Mauritius. Lt Aishwarya Boddapati of Navika Sagar Parikrama hails from Hyderabad, Telangana. She was onboard Mhadei in February 2016 from Vizag to Goa. Then it was Goa to Mauritius anf back during May-July 2016. Also from Goa to Cape Town in December 2016. She was also onboard INSV Tarini during May-July 2017 from Goa to Mauritius and back. Lt Sh Vijaya Devi belongs to Moirang Kwakta Santhong in Manipur. She was onboard Mhadei from Goa to Port Blair in July 2014.
Pic Source NICHer next venture was Vizag to Goa in February 2016 and then Goa to Maritius and back during May-July 2016. Then it was Goa to Cape Town in December 2016. She was also onboard INSV Tarini during May-July 2017 from Goa to Mauritus and back. Finally, it is Lt Payal Gupta who is from Dehradun, Uttarakhand. She was onboard Mhadei in February 2016 from Vizag to Goa and then Goa to Mauritius and back during May-July 2016. Then it was Goa to Cape Town in December 2016. She was also a part of the recent Cape to Rio race 2017. She was also onboard INSV Tarini during May-July 2017 from Goa to Mauritius and back. That is the fantastic track record of team Navika Sagar Parikrama. INSV Tarini is a 55-foot sturdy vessel. This project will have five phases and there will be stoppages at four ports.
Navika Sagar Parikrama will have five phases and four stop-overs
The stop-overs are mainly for replenishment of ration and overall inspection of the vessel. The detail of five phases of Navika Sagar Parikrama are as following. The first phase is of 37 sailing days from September 5 to October 12. This is from Goa to Fremantle (Australia). There will be a halt of 13 days. Second leg or phase is from Fremantle to Lyttelton (New Zealand) from October 25 to November 16. It will have 22 sailing days. There will be a 7-day halt in Lyttelton. Next phase is from Lyttelton to Port Stanley (Falklands) from November 23 toDcember 28. It will comprise of 35 sailing days. The halt will be of around 13 days. Fourth phase is from Port Stanley to Cape Town (South Africa) for 28 sailing days. It will be from January 10, 2018 to Feruary 8, 2018.
Pic Source NICThe final phase of Navika Sagar Parikrama project will be from Cape Town to Goa for 42 sailing days. It will be from Februay 21, 2018 to April 4, 2018. But before that there will be a halt of 13 days in Cape Town. This project is a mission to prove certain things. These include Nari Shakti or Women Power, Inspiring the youth, undestanding of the sea, harness energy using environment friendly non-conventional renewable energy resources, Make in India, Wave Data Observation, Monitor Marine Pollution, promote Ocean Sailing, and interact with local counterparts at the various ports during halts. Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman flagged-off INSV Tarini from INS Mandovi boat pool, Goa on 10 September 2017.
Pic Source: Narendramodi.in
Navika Sagar Parikrama Is A Symbol Of Nari Shakti
On August 16, Navika Sagar Parikrama crew members had a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to get his good wishes. INSV Tarini completes its first leg reaching Fremantle after completing 4800 Nautical miles (Nm) from Goa. It crossed the Equator on September 25 and the Tropic of Capricorn on October 6. The next leg starting November 5 is from Fremantle to Lyttleton.
