Srinivas
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Navy pilot becomes first Indian to circumnavigate the earth in a sailboat
MUMBAI: Lt Cdr Abhilash Tomy of the Indian Navy became the first Indian to circumnavigate the earth in a sailboat on Saturday.
Tomy had started from Mumbai on November 1, 2012 in the INSV Mhadei to undertake a voyage that less than 80 people worldwide have completed successfully. By comparison, around 500 people have been to space and around 5,000 have scaled Mt Everest.
On Saturday the maritime reconnaissance pilot returned to the Gateway of India, Mumbai, where he was accorded a rousing welcome by president Pranab
Mukherjee, who by default is also the supreme commander of the armed forces. Maharashtra governor K Sankaranarayanan, navy chief Admiral D K Joshi and flag officer commanding-in-chief of the Western Naval Command, vice admiral Shekhar Sinha, were present.
Tomy said he had fulfilled a dream he held for 14 years and had been preparing for since four years. His boat INSV Mhadei was especially built for the Indian Navy by Ratnakar Dandekar along the banks of the Mandovi. It was also named after that river.
Tomy completed his voyage spanning 22,000 nautical miles across the Indian, Southern, Pacific and Atlantic Oceans using merely wind-powered sails. Tomy did not touch any port or seek outside assistance. His route took him south of Australia, South America and Africa thus rounding the three Great Capes -- Cape Leeuwin in Australia, Cape Horn in South America and the Cape of Good Hope in Africa.
He crossed the International Date Line on December 31 and ushered in the new year by resetting his calendar. On January 26 this year he unfurled the Indian flag off Cape Horn. During these months, the sailor weathered temperatures ranging from 4 degrees to 40 degree Celsius, battled wind velocity of upto 125 kmph and waves that rose 10 m high.
Speaking at Saturday's welcome President Mukherjee commended his extreme test of endurance''. He remarked how (travelling) thousands of kms away from the nearest shore, with very little chance of help coming by if something should go wrong, requires courage, determination and grit.'' The sea cadet corps presented a horn pipe dance and the NauVeers of the Western Naval Command showed an impressive continuity drill on the occasion.
Navy pilot becomes first Indian to circumnavigate the earth in a sailboat - The Times of India
MUMBAI: Lt Cdr Abhilash Tomy of the Indian Navy became the first Indian to circumnavigate the earth in a sailboat on Saturday.
Tomy had started from Mumbai on November 1, 2012 in the INSV Mhadei to undertake a voyage that less than 80 people worldwide have completed successfully. By comparison, around 500 people have been to space and around 5,000 have scaled Mt Everest.
On Saturday the maritime reconnaissance pilot returned to the Gateway of India, Mumbai, where he was accorded a rousing welcome by president Pranab
Mukherjee, who by default is also the supreme commander of the armed forces. Maharashtra governor K Sankaranarayanan, navy chief Admiral D K Joshi and flag officer commanding-in-chief of the Western Naval Command, vice admiral Shekhar Sinha, were present.
Tomy said he had fulfilled a dream he held for 14 years and had been preparing for since four years. His boat INSV Mhadei was especially built for the Indian Navy by Ratnakar Dandekar along the banks of the Mandovi. It was also named after that river.
Tomy completed his voyage spanning 22,000 nautical miles across the Indian, Southern, Pacific and Atlantic Oceans using merely wind-powered sails. Tomy did not touch any port or seek outside assistance. His route took him south of Australia, South America and Africa thus rounding the three Great Capes -- Cape Leeuwin in Australia, Cape Horn in South America and the Cape of Good Hope in Africa.
He crossed the International Date Line on December 31 and ushered in the new year by resetting his calendar. On January 26 this year he unfurled the Indian flag off Cape Horn. During these months, the sailor weathered temperatures ranging from 4 degrees to 40 degree Celsius, battled wind velocity of upto 125 kmph and waves that rose 10 m high.
Speaking at Saturday's welcome President Mukherjee commended his extreme test of endurance''. He remarked how (travelling) thousands of kms away from the nearest shore, with very little chance of help coming by if something should go wrong, requires courage, determination and grit.'' The sea cadet corps presented a horn pipe dance and the NauVeers of the Western Naval Command showed an impressive continuity drill on the occasion.
Navy pilot becomes first Indian to circumnavigate the earth in a sailboat - The Times of India
but now I know how silly that was
