Mormugao Port (Goa) [India], June 1 (ANI): Indian Navy Officers Lieutenant Commander Dilna K and Lieutenant Commander Roopa returned to Goa on Saturday after successfully completing Navika Sagar Parikrama II, a circumnavigation expedition aboard the Indian Naval Sailing Vessel (INSV) Tarini.
A major highlight of the expedition was reaching Point Nemo, the most remote location on Earth, marking a rare feat for any sailing crew, and a first for the Indian Navy’s women officers.
“It was a great and proud moment for us as we could fly our Indian flag and the Indian Navy’s flag at Point Nemo,” said Lt Cdr Dilna K.
She recalled the challenges they faced en route, particularly a storm that forced them to make a critical decision.
She said, “To reach Point Nemo, we had to face a lot of challenges because there was an approaching storm on the same route, and we had to make a decision whether to go to Point Nemo and make a record or avoid the storm and go away from it. But we made a decision that we will go to the Point and fly our flag there.”
Their return to Mormugao Port was also marked by the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who had earlier made a promise to the crew during the expedition.
“That was his promise, actually given to us during a video call on the 7th of March, one day before International Women’s Day. He told us that he will be coming to Flag in, and yesterday, sir told us that I fulfilled the promise. I’m really happy. It’s an honour for us that the Defence Minister came and flagged in Tarini, and it was a very proud moment,” said Lt Cdr Dilna.
Meanwhile, Point Nemo, also known as the Oceanic Pole of Inaccessibility, is the farthest point from any landmass on Earth.
“We had gone to the exact coordinates of Point Nemo, the remotest location on Earth. The nearest humans from that particular point are those in the Space station,” said Lt Cdr Roopa.
She added that the voyage lasted eight months and described it as a transformative experience.
“These 8 months have been a great learning experience, a completely life-transforming experience. It’s a journey of a lifetime, and we faced a lot of challenges, but we had good moments, too,” said Lt Cdr Roopa.
Roopa described the difficulties that the crew had to face, saying, “We didn’t have a fridge onboard, so we couldn’t store fresh fruits and vegetables for a long time. We used to have Indian foods, such as rice and dal, as they didn’t need storage.”
Reflecting on the broader significance of the expedition, she said, “We feel really honoured and privileged to complete such a mission and then be welcomed by the Defence Minister. He had called us once while we were in the middle of the ocean, and he said that I would come to receive you in Goa. He kept the promise, and we were very excited to meet him.”
Lt Cdr Roopa further stated, “I am grateful to be an Indian as we uplift and support each other. Today, women are getting more and more opportunities, they need to be willing to take those opportunities.” (ANI)
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