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The Hindu
09-06-2025
- General
- The Hindu
From stormy seas to a hero's welcome: Lt. Cmdr. Dilna returns to Kozhikode
For the eight-long months that Lt. Commander K. Dilna braved the ocean and its many challenges, her mother K.P. Reeja spent sleepless nights in Kozhikode, anxious about her daughter's safety. 'I could heave a sigh of relief only when I heard the news that she had landed safely in Goa,' said Ms. Reeja, her face glowing with pride as their hometown of Kakkodi, a suburban village in Kozhikode, gave Ms. Dilna a warm welcome on Monday (June 9). Dilna, along with Lt. Commander Roopa Alagirisamy, a native of Pondicherry, recently made history by becoming the first Indian women to circumnavigate the globe in a double-handed sailing mode aboard the INSV Tarini. As part of the Indian Navy's Navika Sagar Parikrama, the duo covered 25,400 nautical miles over 239 days. 'They faced severe hardships—cyclones, torrential rains, and rough seas. They could only enjoy a proper meal when they reached shore once a month or so. Otherwise, they survived on canned food. There were even days they went without eating, having grown tired of the limited options,' said Ms. Reeja. Lt. Cmdr. Dilna followed in the footsteps of her late father Devadas, a former Army officer, in choosing a career in the armed forces. Her educational journey began at Veda Vyasa Vidyalayam and continued through Kendriya Vidyalaya, East Hill; Government Vocational Higher Secondary School for Girls, Nadakkavu; and Providence College in Kozhikode. She joined the Indian Navy in 2014. 'Dilna always wanted to join the armed forces. She won several awards in rifle shooting during her time in the National Cadet Corps. Though we were initially hesitant about her going on the circumnavigation mission, her unwavering determination convinced us,' said Ms. Reeja. Meanwhile, the civic reception for Lt. Cmdr. Dilna turned into a moment of celebration for the entire village. Dilna's mother, along with sister Deepthi and officials from the Kakkodi grama panchayat, received her at the Kozhikode Railway Station and hosted a tea party in her honour at the panchayat office. The festivities continued with a grand procession from Parambil Kadavu to her home. The procession featured a traditional Shinkari melam and was joined by local people, including ex-servicemen in uniform.
Indian Express
08-06-2025
- Indian Express
How two women navy officers on INSV Tarini successfully navigated the globe: Their mentor explains
After sailing aboard INSV Tarini for nearly eight months across four continents, three oceans and three Great Capes, Lieutenant Commander Dilna K and Lieutenant Commander Roopa A sailed into history on May 29, becoming the first Indian duo to circumnavigate the globe without external assistance and relying solely on wind power. The officers covered a distance of 25,600 nautical miles in the expedition with port calls at Fremantle (Australia), Lyttleton (New Zealand), Port Stanley (Falkland Islands) and Cape Town (South Africa). Retired naval pilot Cdr Abhilash Tomy – the mentor for the expedition – holds the distinction of completing two single handed non-stop circumnavigations, including the Golden Globe Race in 2023, where he spent 236 days at sea alone with no technology. Speaking to The Indian Express, he talked about the training of the INSV Tarini crew, and the most difficult leg of the voyage. You have mentioned that the women officers executed a 'textbook' circumnavigation. What does that entail? I laid down three simple rules – no collision (do not hit anything), no grounding (do not put your boat on a rock) and no man overboard (no crew falling into the water). If you do the basics right, these three things will not happen. For instance, if you do navigation correctly, you will not have grounding and if your watchkeeping is correct, you will not have a collision. Another objective was that it should not take too long to finish the circumnavigation. We wanted to be conservative, yet fast in approach, so that we are able to arrive at each port with minimal damage to the boat. In sailing, it is said that heroics are not rewarded, but mistakes are punished. This was a circumnavigation where there were no heroics and no mistakes. The officers took care of the boat really well. The result is that the boat has returned in pristine shape. So, it was a 'textbook' circumnavigation. What went into training the INSV Tarini crew? Both officers had done about 20,000 nautical miles as part of the six-member crew during the trans-oceanic expedition from Goa to Rio de Janeiro via Cape Town. When you have six people, you can hide inside the boat. But in a circumnavigation of this sort, one has to know everything. So, I structured my approach by first having classroom sessions, where I explained the nitty-gritty of all the components – the shape of the hull, what performance to expect from a [sloop] rig, how to start the engine, what weather to expect. I also conducted some practical drills, where I taught them how to cast off, how to put the boat alongside [parking], and how to leave the jetty. As most scratches to the hull usually happen while parking, I took them to sail just outside the harbour and explained the shallow patches, what is the point of no return and how to deploy the anchor. I let them sail out solo after a couple of sea sorties with me onboard. We did a sortie to Karwar port where I joined them on the way out and they returned on their own. Then, we sent the boat to Port Blair and back with several stops. And finally, a training sortie from Goa to Mauritius and back on their own. What did you say to the officers before they cast off for the circumnavigation? I gave them a pep talk. I said 'do not tell yourself we are doing a circumnavigation'. I told them you have already sailed to Mauritius, just sail a bit further and you will get to Perth. Perth to Christchurch is a short hop – over 2000 miles. From New Zealand to the Falkland Islands is a tough leg. In the Pacific, I told them I will hand-hold and constantly monitor and guide them. I gave a basic template to follow – catch on to a particular latitude, reach up to a particular longitude and from that point till 'Cape Horn', make a mad rush when there is a weather window. En-route, they faced cyclones and we routed around them. From there, Falkland to Cape Town is the best leg since the weather is friendlier and the wind is behind you. What was your biggest fear about the voyage? The South Pacific leg, which is the longest with no diversions. What may happen is that there can be a big wave, something the boat cannot handle. It may start with a minor breakdown and quickly cascade to something big. The good thing about a big boat is that it does not topple or capsize quickly, but if something goes wrong, it requires a lot of effort to repair. The sail itself weighs 100 kilos. It is extremely tough for two people to change the main sail at sea. I changed it once in the Pacific, along with a crew, during a training voyage from Brazil to Cape Town. It took us seven hours and for the next 14 hours, we could not get up. In the middle of the Pacific, the officers had a navigation panel blackout for nearly three hours. It was a challenge, but the boat was set up to deal with it. During a navigation panel blackout, the electronic chart goes off and one cannot see any wind instruments. The crew had hand-held GPS, so in such a situation, they can plot their location on the chart. Another alternative is that the electronic charts were duplicated in their phones, so the crew could use their phones for navigation. Why is rounding 'Cape Horn' considered a major milestone for seafarers? Rounding 'Cape Horn' is the Holy Grail of sailing. Cape Horn is located near the southernmost tip of South America and just over 800 kms from Antarctica. One has to go through difficult and unpredictable weather conditions – storms, extreme winds and towering waves – to cross the Cape, and it is a leg which has no diversionary ports. So, if anything happens, you are on your own out there. People think that rounding Cape Horn is tough. It is not the rounding that is difficult. What is difficult is to reach there.
India Today
31-05-2025
- General
- India Today
Operation Sindoor is a symbol of power: PM Modi's strong rebuke to terrorists
2:33 Lt Commanders Dilna K and Roopa Alagirisamy of the Indian Navy completed Navika Sagar Parikrama II, a daring, eight-month circumnavigation aboard INSV Tarini.
Hans India
31-05-2025
- Health
- Hans India
MyVoice: Views of our readers 31st May 2025
A 'World No Tobacco Day' resolve May 31 is observed as World No Tobacco Day by the World Health Organization every year. The theme for 2025 is 'Burning products, exposing bad intentions,' which primarily aims to make people aware of the harmful impacts of tobacco consumption and its various other products on our health, including increasing the risk of cancer, respiratory diseases and heart-related illnesses. According to a survey, 42 per cent of men and 14 per cent of women in India consume tobacco. Products like bidis or plain tobacco are so inexpensive that the poor and labour class easily fall into the vicious trap of addiction. India has the highest number of cancer patients among men. While, globally, lung cancer is the most common cancer among men, in our country, oral cancer, also caused by tobacco consumption, takes a heavier toll among men due. We must take immediate steps—especially through various community groups, NGOs, and government initiatives—to reduce tobacco consumption. Only then can we save our country's poor and youth from this grave threat. Dr. Jitesh Mori Kutch, Gujarat Two women from Indian Navy create history Two women from the Indian Navy's sailing team aboard INSV Tarini returned after completing their mission, Navika Sagar Parikrama II. Commander Dilna K and Lt Commander Roopa A created history by becoming the first Indian women to circumnavigate the globe in a sailing vessel in double-handed mode—relying solely on each other, sails, and wind power. They also created several other records-their yacht Tarini becoming the first Indian sailing vessel to cross Point Nemo, the oceanic pole of inaccessibility; the crew also crossed the Roaring Forties, Prime Meridian, and the Cape of Good Hope, enduring some of the toughest sailing conditions on Earth. They have demonstrated that Indian women are ready to take up any ventures and prove their mettle. Indian women are gradually moving from a conservative nutshell into a progressive and liberal one, which augurs well for a fast-changing society. By defying all accompanying odds, Commander Dilna and Lt Commander Roopa have become role-models for the younger generation, especially our girls. M Pradyu, Kannur Kudos to first NDA women batch The first batch of women from the NDA has proven that they are second to none. Their achievements inspire countless others, embodying resilience and dedication. They've made our nation proud, ensuring that the tricolour continues to soar high. Hope more girls take up this wonderful career in the future. TS Karthik, Kilpauk, Chennai-10 RBI surplus: What's there for the people? The RBI's record surplus transfer of ₹2.11 lakh crore to the government has made the headlines — but will it reach household kitchens is the million-dollar question. In times of high inflation, job insecurity, and falling savings, numbers alone don't inspire hope. Unless this fiscal windfall is directed towards public welfare, employment generation, and economic revival, it's just ink on a ledger. Real growth isn't measured in reserves but in relief. Before the government pats itself on the back, it must answer: how does this gain benefit the struggling citizen? After all, surplus without support is a hollow celebration. Hasnain, MMERC, Mumbai 50% of IPL earning should go to defence fund We suggest that 50 per cent of the IPL earnings should go to the Union Government's, or PMO's 'Border-defence expenditure Fund'. This money should exclusively be used to e-monitor the border like installing CCTV cameras, drones, satellites; fencing walls wherever feasible around Pakistan and Bangladesh and to cover other military-related expenses. However, the priority should be 'peace talks' with Pakistan and put an end to all terrorist camps in Pakistan. In addition, every citizen of India (143 crore population) should pay at least one rupee to the defence fund. The revenue so generated can go a long way in becoming self-reliant. Sreelekha PS, Boudhnagar, Secunderabad-61
India Gazette
30-05-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
"Symbol of Nari Shakti": First batch of women cadets graduates from NDA, Gen VK Singh calls it "historic"
Pune (Maharashtra) [India], May 30 (ANI): The National Defence Academy (NDA) on Friday marked a 'historic' moment during its 148th passing out parade, as the first group of women cadets officially graduated. This marks a big step towards including more women in India's armed forces. The event was held at the NDA campus in Khadakwasla, Pune, and reviewed by General Vijay Kumar Singh (Retd), the current Governor of Mizoram and a former Chief of the Army Staff (COAS). The ceremony brought together cadets, proud parents, military officials, and dignitaries from across the country to witness the event. The event, held at Khadakwasla in Pune, brought together cadets, parents, military officials, and dignitaries from across the country. Calling it a 'significant and historic' event, General VK Singh praised the achievement of the graduating women cadets. 'Today is also a unique significant day in the history of the academy. The first batch of women cadets will pass out today. This marks a historic milestone in our collective journey of our greatest inclusivity and empowerment. These women are a symbol of Nari Shakti. It's embodied not just in women's development but in women-led development,' the former COAS said. On Thursday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh praised the important role played by women in India's armed forces, especially during recent military actions like Operation Sindoor. He was speaking at the flag-in ceremony of the Indian Navy sailing vessel INSV Tarini in Goa. The Union Minister said women had made significant contributions to India's fight against terrorism in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). 'Women pilots and other female soldiers played a crucial role in the effective action taken by India against terrorism in Pakistan and PoK during Operation Sindoor,' Singh said. He was speaking at the event held to welcome back Navy officers, Lt Commander Dilna K and Lt Commander Roopa. The two women successfully completed a circumnavigation of the globe in INSV Tarini under the 'Navika Sagar Parikrama II' mission. They became the first Indian women to complete the journey in double-handed mode (with only two crew members). 'From the heights of Siachen to the depths of the ocean, Indian women are fulfilling many responsibilities, which has further bolstered the security circle of the country. Today, the doors of Sainik Schools are open for girls, and 17 women are passing out from the National Defence Academy this month. Operation Sindoor witnessed active and effective participation of women in every branch of the Indian Armed Forces,' the Defence Minister added. Indian Armed Forces launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 in response to the April 22 'barbaric' Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people and injured several others. The forces targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), resulting in over 100 deaths of terrorists affiliated with Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen. (ANI)
