HYDERABAD: Secunderabad-based Navy sailor Lt Commander Aishwarya Boddapati who, along with five other Navy women, became the first to circumnavigate the world on a shipping vessel, was surprised when she learnt that she had won the Tenzing Norgay Award for Adventure.
“I couldn’t believe it. This is the highest award for adventure in the country,” a jubilant Boddapati told Express on Tuesday. The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports informed the Lieutenant and the five other Naval officers via email late on Monday night. She is set to receive the award from President Ram Nath Kovind on September 25 at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi.
She said, “The expedition was a gruelling challenge for all of us. It was never done before by women and we were given extensive physical, psychological and emotional training for six months before embarking upon the mission.”
She considers the Pacific Ocean to be the most gruelling part of her journey that spanned 254 days. “Even though we chose to circumnavigate around the world during the summer season, the average temperature in the Pacific Region was -six degree Celsius,” Bodapatti said.