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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