"It took us 8 months …” INSV Tarini returns to goa after historic women naval officer led expedition

ANI

Mormugao Port (Goa), June 01, 2025(ANI): INSV Tarini Returns to Goa After Historic Global Voyage Led by Women Naval Officers. “...We had gone to the exact coordinates of Point Nemo - the remotest location on Earth, the Oceanic pole of inaccessibility. The nearest humans from that particular point are those in the Space station..." said Lt Cdr Roopa, narrating their incredible journey as she and Lt Cdr Dilna K return home following a successful circumnavigation expedition, Navika Sagar Parikrama II, on the Indian Naval Sailing Vessel (INSV) Tarini. They arrived in Goa on May 30. Lt Cdr Roopa says, "It took us 8 months to complete this journey. 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. 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...”

Transcript

00:00We started on this journey on 2nd of October 2024. We started the Sagar Parikrama, the Navika Sagar Parikrama 2.

00:12And it took us eight months to complete this journey and we just reached yesterday.

00:20This eight months has been a great learning experience, a completely transformative experience.

00:26I would say it's a journey of a lifetime where we had experienced the Southern Ocean and faced various challenges.

00:36But they were good moments also at sea.

00:40And we had done it with four legs, with five legs, from India to Australia and from Australia to New Zealand.

00:50And from New Zealand to Falkland and from Falkland to Cape Town and this was the last leg.

00:54And we had achieved major milestones during this journey where we had went to the exact points, coordinates of Point Nemo,

01:04which is known as the remotest location on the Earth or the oceanic pole of inaccessibility.

01:11So in that particular point, the nearest humans who you can have is the humans from the space station.

01:20And also another major milestone was the rounding of the three great capes,

01:25which is one of the requirements for this to be considered as circumnavigation.

01:31And rounding the Cape Horn was the most challenging of all during this journey.

01:35The welcome in all of these countries where we were received by all Indians who are living there in that countries.

01:59And it was a really overwhelming experience where sometimes they made us feel that, you know,

02:05maybe we are not in any other foreign country and we were in India only.

02:10Because they showed us so much of love where they wanted us, they gave us home-cooked food

02:18and then they told us where to go and to go around the place or they wanted to help us in the port.

02:26There were places where in Falklands where the entire population of the country is only 3,000 or 3,500

02:33and initially there used to be no Indians, but now there are around 20 Indians there

02:38and there are mostly people who are engineers and electricians who are working there

02:46and they helped us on the port.

02:48They wanted to help us on the port.

02:49They were asking if you have any requirement on the port, repair on the port, we would want to help you.

02:54So that was very overwhelming where we have, when we, before reaching Falkland,

02:58and we felt like we would never meet any Indians, but there were people who wanted us to help with the boat.

03:04And it was great to meet all these people and share the journey throughout the world.

03:09What do you say, Anandar, is the selling timing, you have a deal, when something,

03:17which situation is a bit difficult, if any, bad condition?

03:24There were various challenges.

03:28One of the major challenges was when, in the middle of the Pacific,

03:33and we, on one night, and we were actually going far from the cyclone which was coming,

03:38and we had a complete navigation panel blackout.

03:41By blackout, I mean all of the equipments went switched off.

03:47We, a boat heading, the GPS, the autopilot, everything switched off,

03:52and the boat just went out of control in the middle of the night.

03:55We had a magnetic compass, and we have all our backup, and the charts,

04:01and we have trained for such electrical failures before we left,

04:05but we have never experienced that before.

04:09And that time when we experienced this, we felt the sense of false security which modern equipments give you.

04:16Even though we were having backups and spares and all of that,

04:21for that particular moment, we felt like, you know, you are actually very far from the whole world,

04:27and in the middle of the ocean.

04:28For a moment, we felt lost.

04:30So, but then it took us three hours to get back control,

04:36and that was the only, not the only challenge.

04:41Always we had a challenge of sleep deprivation and cold,

04:44and we had to deal with equipment failures as well,

04:46and also it was a rough sea.

04:48So it's like all challenges at, all at once.

04:51How did you go to the eight-month journey on the Kani Kaap?

04:58How did you go to the food?

05:02So we, wherever we had stopped,

05:05we had replenished our boat with fresh ration and water.

05:09We don't have a fridge on board,

05:11so we cannot store fresh vegetables and fruits for a long time.

05:16So, if the journey is more than 30 or 40 days,

05:20we run out of fresh fruits and vegetables.

05:22So then, we go to tinned foods.

05:25So, we actually start cooking food in the order of what goes bad first.

05:32It's like, today you see what is going bad.

05:35So the bread is, or some vegetable is going to go bad tomorrow,

05:38so we cook that.

05:39So that's how we plan and make our food.

05:43Mostly, we make Indian food,

05:45because Indian food, one benefit which we have is like,

05:52it needs dal and rice and pulses,

05:54doesn't need any storage,

05:55or doesn't need any fridge,

05:57and then you get a good, nice cooked meal of Indian food without any storage.

06:02So, it was Point Nemo.

06:04Point Nemo is called as the remotest part of the earth,

06:08and no sailboats have ever visited the exact coordinates of Point Nemo.

06:13I'm not talking about going near Point Nemo.

06:16It's the exact coordinates of Point Nemo.

06:17So, we could document that exact coordinates.

06:20So, it was a very great and pride moment for us.

06:24We could fly our Indian flag and Indian Navy's flag at Point Nemo,

06:28and to reach the Point Nemo,

06:31we had to face a lot of challenges again,

06:34because we had to take a decision whether there was an approaching storm,

06:38which was there through the same route.

06:40So, we had to take a decision whether to go to Point Nemo and make a record,

06:45or whether to avoid the storm and go away from it.

06:48But, we took a decision that we will stick to it,

06:50and we will go to the Point Nemo and fly our flag there.

06:53Okay, I just heard you,

06:55if any struck timing or bad situation,

07:00how do you coordinate?

07:02How do you coordinate?

07:03How do you coordinate with the capital of Lassie, say?

07:06Yeah, so, correct.

07:09So, whenever we had any issues on board,

07:12we tried to resolve it by ourselves.

07:14We are a good team.

07:15We have been training since last four years.

07:18So, we are a good team.

07:20So, we tried to resolve things by ourselves.

07:22But, whenever we are in doubt,

07:23or whenever we have any issues,

07:25we are free to call Commander Ablaj Choumi.

07:28Sir gives his valuable advices,

07:30and we apply that,

07:32and it has helped us a lot.

07:34And, his experience in Golden Globe Race,

07:36and he has done two solo circumnavigations,

07:40that has helped us a lot

07:41in completing this voyage very successfully.

07:44Sir, Rupa and your coordinate,

07:46how is the aid of your team?

07:48It was a very,

07:51as I told you,

07:52we have been training since last four years.

07:54So, we already have that bond,

07:57and I should say that

07:59the best equipment on board

08:01is our bond and our teamwork.

08:04And, that is very important

08:05in an adventure like this.

08:08You can't survive without,

08:10if you don't have a good teammate.

08:11So, we had our own opinions,

08:15that is very natural,

08:17but we respected each other's opinions,

08:19and each other's decisions,

08:22and we took the best one out of it,

08:24and that is how we went through

08:25all the situations on board.

08:28What to say on the Nari sector,

08:30and, sorry, just one more person,

08:32and how to see the technical,

08:36and the security safety.

08:39How did you see the technical,

08:40which we both went through,

08:42and how to handle it?

08:45Navy has trained us

08:47in a very gradual way.

08:50All these four years,

08:51it was just not sailing.

08:53It was started with practical,

08:55theoretical aspects,

08:56then practical sailing in small boats,

08:59then we shifted to a big boat,

09:01and then we sailed along with six crew members,

09:04then it changed us to double-handed.

09:05So, it was a very gradual training process,

09:10which was done by Navy.

09:11So, that training has helped us to,

09:15that gave us confidence,

09:16to go through all the situations,

09:18any material failure,

09:19we were, mostly we were able to sort it out.

09:22It is one of the great examples of women empowerment we have seen,

09:42we have shown to the entire world, actually.

09:45Just both of us railing around the world,

09:48by going through many challenging situations,

09:51it shows that what our Indian women are capable of,

09:55and we are really happy that India is promoting Nari Shakti,

10:00and giving more opportunities to women,

10:03in taking on all the challenges,

10:06and being in the forefront.

10:09How do you feel when yesterday RM has flagged us?

10:13That was his promise, actually,

10:15given to us during a video call,

10:18on 7th of March,

10:21I think one day before the Women's Day.

10:24So, he told us that,

10:25Sir, we will be coming to flag in,

10:27and yesterday Sir told that,

10:30I fulfill the promise,

10:31I told that I will come,

10:33and he came.

10:34So, we are really happy.

10:35It is an honour for us,

10:37that Riksha Mantri ji came,

10:39and flagged in Tarini,

10:42and us.

10:43It was a very proud moment.

10:45What about your next challenge?

10:48Right now,

10:49I am focusing on getting back to good health.

10:54We have to get back to normal health.

10:57We have to get back to the normal routine,

11:00of sleep,

11:01and nutrition,

11:02and everything.

11:03And we need to spend some time with family,

11:05and definitely we will be waiting for the other opportunity.

11:09And when time comes,

11:10definitely we will be said on that.

11:13Yesterday,

11:13we just witnessed the completion of Navika Sagar Parikrama 2,

11:16which was flagged off by Admiral Dinesh Ketrupadhi,

11:19on 2nd of October,

11:202024.

11:22And within eight months,

11:25the crew,

11:27comprising Lieutenant Commander Dilla and Rupa,

11:29have completed a circumnavigation of the Earth.

11:31They made four stops,

11:32and they are now back.

11:34And I was appointed as a mentor,

11:37coach,

11:37trainer for the ladies.

11:39And I'll tell you what,

11:40they made me very proud.

11:42They have executed what's called a textbook circumnavigation,

11:45picture perfect.

11:46No problems with the boat,

11:47no injuries,

11:48no nothing.

11:49They have completed the mission that was given to them,

11:52and they have done it very, very well.

11:53So,

11:54two years,

11:55Rupa and Dilla,

11:55have you been any contact to you on the sailing team?

11:59Yeah,

12:00Dilla and Rupa were in touch with me

12:02throughout.

12:03They had the internet through satellite,

12:05and we had trackers,

12:06so we were monitoring their exact location every four hours.

12:10And the,

12:11you know,

12:12either I would ask how things are going,

12:14or if they had any problem,

12:14they would text me and ask how to solve this problem.

12:16So,

12:17there was a lot of back and forth that was going on with Everett Sea.

12:20Sir,

12:20how is it important on the sailing?

12:23What are the risks and safety and safety?

12:27Sailing is risky.

12:28Sailing is extremely risky.

12:30I have taken part in two round-the-world races in which the attrition rate,

12:35as in the number of people who did not complete,

12:37was nearly 70 to 80 percent.

12:39So,

12:3980 percent of the people did not complete.

12:42Many boats sank.

12:44So,

12:44all these things happen at sea,

12:45but fortunately nobody died.

12:47It's very risky.

12:48It's very,

12:49very risky,

12:50and

12:50the good thing is that there is an international search and rescue organization,

12:54which will come to your help if something goes wrong.

12:58Sir,

12:58if I see any,

12:59how many students is there?

13:03Sailing in the training?

13:04Is there a lot of people after some time?

13:08I trained only these two women,

13:10for this expedition,

13:12but

13:12otherwise,

13:14Navy has got a constantly evolving sailing program.

13:18Almost every cadet of Naval Academy,

13:21Indian Naval Academy,

13:21and INS Chilka

13:22are put through some sort of sailing training.

13:26And

13:26if they want to pursue sailing as a sport or as a hobby,

13:30Navy has got sailing clubs everywhere.

13:32You can,

13:32you know,

13:32sail whenever you want.

13:35It's an ongoing process.

13:36First,

13:36Mikram,

13:38Parikrama,

13:39first of five people is there.

13:42Do you think five?

13:42No,

13:43the first one happened in 2009-10,

13:45when Captain Donde went around the world

13:47with four stops.

13:48He was alone.

13:49And after that,

13:50I did a non-stop.

13:51And after that,

13:52we had six women officers

13:54who were around the world on Tarini.

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