INSV Tarini returns home after 17,000 NM voyage, women officers narrate experience

Amid a grand flag-in ceremony on Tuesday at the Indian Naval Watermanship Training Centre, INSV Tarini, with a six-member crew, including two women officers, returned to Indian shores at Goa after a 17,000-nautical-mile trans-ocean inter-continental voyage in seven months.

The Indian Navy's Lieutenant Commander Dilna and Lieutenant Commander Roopa, the two women crew members of INSV Tarini, who returned after completing a 17,000 nautical mile transoceanic intercontinental voyage in 7 months, narrated their experience of the journey. 

"It has been a life-changing experience for us. We have encountered a lot of challenges on board during these six months; we had to face cold fronts in the South Atlantic and several storms," said the lieutenant commanders while talking to the media.

“Not a single day at sea is monotonous. You are occupied all the time. At sea, there is no Monday or a weekend. Just the sunrise and sunset. The world out there is tranquil and nights are even quieter"

WATCH - INSV Tarini returns after completing 17,000 nautical miles transocean inter-continental voyage

#WATCH | Indian Navy's Lt. Cdr Dilna & Lt. Cdr Roopa, the two women crew members of INVS Tarini which has returned after completing a 17000 nautical miles transocean inter-continental voyage in 7 months, narrate their experience pic.twitter.com/eWrAtLSWTE

— ANI (@ANI)

Other participants of the crew included Captain Atool Sinha, Lt Cdr Ashutosh Sharma, Lt Aviral Keshav, Cdr Nikhil Hegde, Cdr MA Zulfikar, Cdr Divya Purohit and Cdr AC Doke. 

The welcome ceremony 

Union Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar, and others were present to welcome the crew members during the grand flag ceremony.

Speaking at the occasion, Irani stated that she had requested Chief Minister Sawant to let Goa develop into a major centre for competitive sailing rather than limit the Indian Navy's involvement in Goa to the INSV Tarini's journey.

Welcome home INSV Tarini ! A day to celebrate the homecoming of a team that endured a 6 month trans-oceanic voyage covering 17000 nm . Was indeed a proud privilege to felicitate Lt. Cdr Dilna & Lt. Cdr Roopa ; 2 Naval women who will soon attempt circumnavigation of the Globe. pic.twitter.com/WJE4qSv6N4

— Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani)

She added that in order to inspire people, tales of bravery, fortitude, and selflessness, such as the ones exhibited by the INS Tarini crew, need to be repeated often.

At each Anganwadi in the nation, she continued, the tale of the Tarini crew's bravery would be told.

The Union Minister also announced plans for a programme on skill development that would be carried out by the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development in association with the Navy.

Union Minister Smriti Irani also said that the project would train women from coastal villages to utilise the possibilities in the Indian Naval Services and other marine-related industries.

#IndianNavy is all set to receive its six-member crew of #INSVTarini, returning after a 17000 nm #Transocean inter-continental voyage in 7 months.
‘Flag in’ ceremony on #23May 23 at the Indian Naval Watermanship Training Centre #INSMandovi, Goa.

A peek into #Tarini's voyage⬇️ pic.twitter.com/eUCDKvkcSa

— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy)

INSV Tarini is the second sailboat of the Indian Navy. She was constructed at Aquarius Shipyard located in Goa. After undergoing extensive sea trials, she was commissioned into the Indian Navy service on 18 February 2017.