Two Indian Navy women officers — Lt Commander Roopa A and Lt Commander Dilna K — will embark on an arduous blue-water voyage around the world soon.

The two officers will undertake the expedition of circumnavigating the globe on board the Indian naval sailing vessel (INSV) Tarini, navy spokesperson Commander Vivek Madhwal said on Sunday.

The officers have been preparing for the Sagar Parikrama expedition for the last three years, he said.

“Sagar Parikrama would be a gruelling voyage requiring extreme skills, physical fitness and mental alertness. The officers have been training rigorously and gained thousands of miles of experience under their belt,” Commander Madhwal said.

Roopa and Dilna are undergoing training under the mentorship of ace circumnavigator and Golden Globe Race hero, Commander Abhilash Tomy (Retd).

The two officers, as part of a six-member crew, had participated in a trans-oceanic expedition from Goa to Rio de Janeiro via Cape Town and back last year.

Thereafter, they undertook a sailing expedition from Goa to Port Blair and back in double-handed mode.

Further, Roopa and Dilna successfully undertook a sortie from Goa to Port Louis, Mauritius, again in dual-handed mode early this year.

“The Indian Navy has made significant efforts to revitalise the sailing tradition, emphasising its commitment to preserve maritime heritage and promote seamanship skills,” the navy spokesperson said.

He said the navy had taken centre-stage in ocean sailing expeditions through the pioneering efforts of the sail training ships INS Tarangini and INS Sudarshini, and circumnavigating onboard INSV Mhadei and Tarini.

“Continuing with the celebration of maritime skill and adventure, two Indian Navy women officers — Lt Commander Roopa A and Lt Commander Dilna K — would be embarking on the extraordinary expedition of circumnavigating the globe on board INSV Tarini very shortly,” Madhwal added.

INSV Tarini is known for circumnavigating the globe with an all-women-officer crew in the first Navika Sagar Parikrama in 2017.

The circumnavigation of INSV Tarini will be a significant step forward in India’s ocean sailing enterprise and maritime endeavours, showcasing the nation’s growing prominence in global maritime activities and gender equality, the spokesperson said.

PTI