Lieutenant Commanders Roopa A and Dilna K from the Indian Navy have stamped India's name on the high seas.
Sailing across four continents, 3 oceans and 3 capes, they are home after 8 months.
On a rainy day in Goa, the monsoon clouds held up to give Lieutenant Commanders Dilna K and Roopa A the perfect welcome home.
As their 52-feet sailboat elegantly made its last lap towards the berthing dock after circumnavigating the globe for eight months -- the two naval officers also called 'DilRoo' -- stepped back on Indian soil to loud cheers.
With firm steps, they climbed up the short ladder to the dock and gave a smart salute to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh who had followed through with his promise of being there when they returned.
The officers are the first Indian two-woman team to sail around the world, and only among 10 Indians circumnavigators.
'You have taken the Indian flag around the world and left its stamp on the high seas,' said the defence minister, genuinely pleased with their accomplishment and the human quest for pushing the boundaries of exploration.
The Indian Navy is the only naval force to circumnavigate the world four times in a made in India boat.
The sailors travelled 25,600 nautical miles over:
3 oceans,
4 continents,
3 capes,
Equator twice,
Tropic of Capricorn,
The Oceanic Pole of Inaccessibility, the farthest point from land,
The dangerous Drake's Passage considered the most perilous stretch for seafarers with fierce winds and waves reaching up to 95 feet,
4 ports of call -- Fremantle, Leeuwin, Falklands, Cape Town,
and
sighting colonies of the legendary birds for sailors -- the albatross -- in the Southern Ocean.
The duo successfully braved storms and dangerous seas as they navigated their boat, just having each other as company and the open seas.
Along the way, they were received warmly at the ports -- the West Australian parliament honoured them on the floor of the House, while a traditional Maori reception ushered them into New Zealand and Jonty Rhodes came to say hello in Cape Town.
The sailors did everything on board themselves -- from navigation to engineering to cooking and cleaning. They did the repairs themselves and occasionally spoke to their family via satellite phone.
There were times when the gales and waves made them seasick, especially while crossing the Roaring Forties, knocking them off beds and making them throw up.
But there were also times when the sea was calm, placid and glorious.
The sailors also sent video messages on important days like Republic Day and Women's Day.
'Our voice matters, our presence matters, our story matters,' said Lieutenant Commander Dilna, a native of Kozhikode, in her Women's Day message.
'Be changemakers, innovators, leaders and also sailors,' said Lieutenant Commander Roopa who belongs to Puducherry.
Lieutenant Commander Dilna joined the Indian Navy 10 years ago as a logistics officer. Her father served in the Indian Army. Her husband is also a naval officer.
She is also a national level shooter and was a state under-19 cricket player.
Lieutenant Commander Roopa is the daughter of an IAF officer. She was commissioned in the navy in 2017. She is also a marathon runner.
Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff
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