Gallantry award likely to be given to the all-woman navy crew Tarini

The women received a rousing welcome on their return to Goa on May 21 after completing an eight-month-long voyage in which Tarini covered more than 21,600 nautical miles. The names of Tarini skipper lieutenant commander Vartika Joshi and other crew members, commanders Pratibha Jamwal and P Swathi, and Lieutenants S Vijaya Devi, B Aishwarya and Payal Gupta have been recommended for the award, said one of persons cited in the first instance. “The women showed tremendous courage and determination while facing formidable obstacles on the high seas. Finishing the voyage was no mean feat,” the first person said. A voyage qualifies as circumnavigation if it starts and finishes at the same port, does not go through a canal or strait, crosses all meridians at least once, and covers at least 21,600 nautical miles.