KOCHI: The sailor’s journey is a lone odyssey. Yet, in the vast, ceaseless churning of the oceans, when ethereal whispers of the wind are the only company, a sailor turns his gaze to the sky. Amidst the celestial ballet, he seeks that unceasing shimmer of a lodestar, the brightest in the sky.
For former naval officer Cdr Abhilash Tomy, who scripted history in April 2023 by becoming the only Asian to finish the Golden Globe Race, considered the holy grail of sailing, this star is family. When Cdr Abhilash battled the elements at sea, his wife Urmimala steered a different ship at home — juggling the kids, her career as an artist, and also finding time to engage a now-growing community of admirers and sailing enthusiasts bitten by the ‘Titanium Tomy’ bug. She was his biggest cheerleader, the constant wind in the sails.
Now, as Cdr Abhilash celebrates his 45th birthday, Urmimala has the perfect gift for him — a star, like the one that guided him when he sailed, in the Aquarius constellation. “It is 22h 16m and 50s East of the First Point of Aries, declination 7deg 46’ 59.7. I’m speechless,” Cdr Abhilash wrote in a post.
“I’ve been mulling ideas for a gift for some time now. I couldn’t afford a boat. Also, I know he does not care much for materialistic things, so when I chanced across this opportunity to register a star name by way of an amateur stargazing group I’m part of, I instantly knew it was the perfect gift for him. He was thrilled when he found out. Over the moon!,” Urmimala told TNIE.
Now, anyone undertaking their personal voyages can find a lodestar in Cdr Abhilash’s courage, his determination to triumph despite overwhelming odds, and more importantly, his humanity.