‘The sea does not discriminate between genders’

Rahul Chandawarkar

ON BOARD INS MANDOVI: There must have been a million thoughts racing through her mind as Lt Commander Vartika Joshi walked purposefully back to the INSV Tarini after a brief, flag-off function rehearsal. Yet, there is no sign of stress or discomfort on her face. As I walked along side with my dictaphone asking questions, she said, “We are as relaxed as can be right now. There is a lot happening and we are very busy.” National TV channels are waiting to interview her, her team members are tying up loose ends on the sail boat and friends, family and naval staff are all milling around the busy INS Mandovi jetty.

The six-member all-women’s team has returned a few days back after visiting their near and dear ones. They seem happy with their home visits. “Our families are very supportive of our forthcoming voyage and are confident that we will do very well” Vartika said.

Vartika is also very proud that they will be representing the dreams and hopes of over a billion Indians when they set sail across the oceans. “I would like every Indian to be calm, relaxed and follow their dreams,” she said.

Aboard the Tarini, the team members are all smiles. Lt Commander P Swathi, the navigation officer is happy that her family has come down from Vishakapatnam to bid her farewell. “Everybody is here. My mother, father, brother, his wife, my husband… . The best part is that my mother is cooking since morning. She has cooked a tiger prawn curry and king fish fry for all of us,” Swathi said with a wide grin. Lieutenant Payal Gupta, the logistics officer standing close by immediately interjected, “Yummy! We can have two great meals with this food!”

According to Swathi, the team would be most relaxed and happy when they finally set sail. “There is a lot happening right now. But we will be at our relaxed best after we set sail.”

Lieutenant B Aishwarya, the communications officer is talking to the Navy PRO, Captain DK Sharma, who is excited that Prime Minister Modi has retweeted the Navy’s early morning tweet about the INSV Tarini’s historic voyage. “The PM has wished all of you well,” the PRO said. Aishwarya, Team Tarini’s social media expert immediately picked up her handset and said, “Let me retweet the PM’s message too!”

Soon, it is photo-op time. Team Tarini poses with Captain Dilip Donde (retd) the first Indian to circumnavigate the globe on a sail boat, Commander Abhilash Tomy, the first Indian to circumnavigate the globe non-stop and Captain Atool Sinha, Asian Games sailing silver medallist and officer in charge of the Navy’s Ocean Sailing Node. 

Addressing the large gathering soon thereafter, Vartika introduces her entire team and says that the last two years of intensive ocean sailing on both the INSV Mhadei and the INSV Tarini has put them in a very positive frame of mind.

Vartika expressed great happiness that the newly appointed defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman was coming to flag off the Tarini on their historic voyage. “It is a matter of pride and honour that Madam Defence Minister is coming to flag us off. This means a lot to us. However, I must point out that we are participating in this voyage as sailors. The sea does not discriminate between the genders” she said.

Vartika also pointed out that she was grateful that the Navy had backed an all-women’s global circumnavigation. “I am sure our voyage will inspire many Indian women to take to adventure sport in a big way,” she said.

The Defence Minister in her short address said, “I am truly humbled and touched to be present here today. This initiative has taken years of training, practice, guidance and motivation in a very organised manner. I am confident that the Tarini team will be successful and we will come back to receive them here.”

—-