Navika Sagar Parikrama – INSV Tarini enters Fremantle in Australia
Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman flagging off the first-ever Indian circumnavigation of globe by an all women crew on INSV Tarini from Goa on September 10. Former Defence Minister and Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar was present on the occasion.
Freemantle (Australia), Oct 23: Navika Sagar Parikrama, the first-ever Indian circumnavigation of the globe by an all-women crew flagged off by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman from Goa on September 10, 2017 has reached Freemantle in Australia on Monday.
According to official sources, INSV Tarini entered Freemantle on Monday during its maiden voyage to circumnavigate the globe. The vessel is skippered by Lieutenant Commander Vartika Joshi, and the crew comprises Lieutenant Commanders Pratibha Jamwal, P Swathi, and Lieutenants S Vijaya Devi, B Aishwarya and Payal Gupta.
The vessel has covered 4800 nautical miles from Goa, crossing the Equator on 25 September 17 and the Tropic of Capricorn on 06 October.
The indigenously-built INSV Tarini is a 56-foot sailing vessel, which was inducted in the Indian Navy earlier this year, and showcases the ‘Make in India’ initiative on the International forum.
The expedition titled ‘Navika Sagar Parikrama’ is in consonance with the national policy to empower women to attain their full potential. It also aims to showcase ‘Nari Shakti’ on the world platform and help revolutionise societal attitudes and mind set towards women in India by raising visibility of their participation in challenging environs.
The vessel would return to Goa in April 2018, on completion of the voyage. The expedition is being covered in five legs, with stop-overs at 4 ports: Fremantle (Australia), Lyttleton (New Zealand), Port Stanley (Falklands), and Cape Town (South Africa).
The crew has also been collating and updating meteorological, ocean and wave data on a regular basis for accurate weather forecast by India Meteorological Department (IMD), as also monitoring marine pollution on the high seas. They would interact extensively with the local populace, especially children, during the port halt to promote Ocean sailing and the spirit of adventure.