Indian Navy starts training 3 women officers to sail around globe

Three women officers of the Indian Navy are set to be trained for a prospective all-women crew circumnavigation of the globe on board the navy’s yacht, said a release from the Ministry of Defence. [caption id=“attachment_132422” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] The crew for the race on board Mhadei[/caption] The Indian Naval Sailing Vessel (INSV) Mhadei, the yacht that has completed at two solo circumnavigations until now, was flagged off from Cape Town on 4 January to participate in the Cape2Rio Yachting Race 2014. It is skippered by the highly decorated Commander Dilip Donde, the first Indian solo circumnavigator. Mhadei has a crew of four for the Cape2Rio race, including Commander MVV Satish, the trainee skipper; Commander TGS Bedi and, for the first time, a lady officer Lieutenant Commander Shweta Kapur. “This is a beginning of a new chapter in India’s maritime history as an Indian lady is undertaking ocean sailing half way across the globe. The race that has begun from Cape Town, South Africa will terminate at Rio-de Janerio, Brazil and has over 30 boats participating,” said the release. On completion of the race, INSV Mhadei will return to Goa, with a crew turn-around at Rio and at Cape Town. One woman officer will be part of the crew in each leg of the voyage. “By the time Mhadei returns to Goa, the Indian Navy would have trained three lady officers in the art of ocean sailing. These lady officers will form the core team of a prospective ‘all-women crew’ for a circumnavigation of the globe. A subsequent solo circumnavigation of the globe by a lady officer is also planned,” the release added. INSV Mhadei set sail from Goa, India on 25 November 2013 and arrived in Cape Town on 27 December after an arduous journey of over 5,000 miles. It may be recalled that Mhadei is an Indian-built yacht that was delivered to the Indian Navy in February 2009 by Aquarius Fibreglass at Goa. In the four years since, Mhadei has logged over 80,000 nms, has been part of two solo circumnavigations; first in 2009-10 under Commander Dilip Dhonde, and then non-stop in 2012-13 under Lieutenant Commander Abhilash Tomy. The 17.1-metre, 23-tonne boat built of wood core fibreglass has a 25 metre mast. It has five sails – one each of mainsail, Genoa, Jib, two Gennakers and a Storm Jib. Mhadei’s association with the Mother City has been long. Much of her equipment, including mast and rigging, sails etc have been sourced from Cape Town and have stood her in good stead during her circumnavigations.