KOCHI: Retired Indian Navy officer and celebrated sailor Cdr Abhilash Tomy’s historic solo circumnavigation of the globe has found a place in Kerala’s higher secondary curriculum, with an extract from his blog, Sagar Parikrama, being included in the revised Plus-I English textbook.
Titled ‘Across the Graveyard of Ships,’ the chapter recounts one of the most perilous moments of Cdr Abhilash’s 2012-13 voyage aboard INSV Mhadei, when he encountered storm-force winds and towering waves while rounding the Cape of Good Hope, a stretch notorious among sailors as the ‘Graveyard of Ships’.
Spread across four pages in the textbook, the first-person narrative offers students a vivid account of the challenges of solo ocean sailing.
“The chapter describes how Cdr Abhilash battled 70-knot winds, rogue waves and equipment damage while navigating the treacherous waters between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans,” a senior official of the Kerala education department told TNIE. The chapter is part of the ‘Tastes and Trails’ unit in the revised Class XI English curriculum.
“At the time of deliberation of what should make up the chapters of the Unit, we arrived at a consensus that having a travelogue was a good idea. There were numerous accounts of that kind by well-established writers and adventurers from abroad, but we deemed it advantageous that our kids learn inspiring stories from our homeland, and so, decided to consider adding Cdr Abhilash Tomy’s voyage,” the senior official said, adding that he and the few others part of the selection panel were already aware of the former Navy officer’s adventures.
“I have a copy of his book, and have been keenly following his last journey – the Golden Globe Race, where he finished second. I personally found his story to be very inspiring, and I don’t doubt that others will too,” he said.
Indeed, the entire education department, which is otherwise cautious about the kind of material that goes into textbooks so as to prevent needless controversies, was reportedly all on board with having Cdr Abhilash’s story part of the curriculum.
However, to meet the parameters of the department, four blog pieces were melded together without losing their essence to make up the new chapter. “Cdr Abhilash was more than okay with the changes and personally devoted time and effort to its creation,” the senior official highlighted.
The Kerala-born sailor created history in 2013 by becoming the first Indian and second Asian to complete a solo, non-stop circumnavigation of the globe under sail. Covering more than 23,000 nautical miles in 151 days, the expedition, part of the Indian Navy’s Sagar Parikrama series, remains one of India’s most significant maritime achievements.
This is not the first time that Cdr Abhilash’s exploits have been featured in educational material. His sailing achievements have previously been included in a school textbook (English) in Oman, as well as a Kerala history textbook (Malayalam medium; Class 6/7).
Reacting to the development, Cdr Abhilash told TNIE, “It’s a pleasant surprise to be honest. Though there are many others who probably deserve to be in this book, I am glad that the people who chose to include it decided to go for home grown stories.”
Vivid Account
Titled ‘Across the Graveyard of Ships,’ the chapter is part of the ‘Tastes and Trails’ unit in the revised Plus-I English curriculum
Spread across four pages, the first-person narrative offers students a vivid account of the challenges of solo ocean sailing
It recounts one of the most perilous moments of Cdr Abhilash’s 2012-13 voyage aboard INSV Mhadei, when he encountered storm-force winds and towering waves while rounding the Cape of Good Hope, a stretch notorious among sailors as the ‘Graveyard of Ships’.