On May 23, 2023, a white sail appeared on the horizon off the coast of Goa. Had it been a century ago, the bastions of Fort Aguada and Reis Magos, perched on the cliffs overlooking the bay, might have roared to life and fired upon the approaching vessel. But on that balmy afternoon, the yacht was met with a no-less thunderous applause from the Boat Pool of INS Mandovi, the Indian Navy's premier training establishment.
The vessel was none other than the much-awaited INSV Tarini, a 55-foot indigenously built cruising sloop inducted into naval service in 2017. Having already participated in several iconic expeditions, Tarini was now returning from a 188-day-long transoceanic and intercontinental voyage — from Goa to Cape Town in South Africa, on to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, and back.
At the Rio checkpoint, four of Tarini's six-member crew were rotated out. The two who remained through the entirety of the 17,000-nautical-mile journey were Lieutenant Commanders Dilna K, from Kozhikode in Kerala, and Roopa Alagirisamy from Puducherry.
Their continued presence on board made perfect sense when, during the flag-in ceremony — presided over by Union Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani and Goa Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant — it was announced that these two officers, the only women on the crew, were the Navy’s probable picks for its most ambitious sailing mission yet: a solo circumnavigation of the globe.
A Navy officer later confirmed the voyage was a preparatory run for that mission. "Interestingly, the distance from Goa to Cape Town is twice that of the race itself. So both the women officers had ample time at sea to get used to the conditions," he said.
Indeed, the voyage proved transformative. "The Dilna who came on the yacht today is not the same who left nearly seven months ago," Lt Cdr Dilna told The New Indian Express. "Now I'm more confident on the boat. What made it possible was the support I got from everyone, especially the crew."
Lt Cdr Roopa echoed the sentiment. "It was an amazing opportunity. Over six months, I navigated through difficult waters, different weather systems, and a slew of challenges. I’ve definitely grown more confident on the boat," she said.
What makes their story even more remarkable is that neither came from a traditional sailing background. It was just two years ago that they picked up the sport. Lt Cdr Dilna, commissioned as a logistics officer in 2014, was a former NCC cadet with a cut-no-corners attitude. Looking to do something different, she volunteered for one of the Navy’s sailing expeditions.
"The idea then was to do something exciting — to get away from the desk. I volunteered and got selected. That’s when I started sailing," she recalled.
Lt Cdr Roopa, meanwhile, joined the Navy's armament cadre in 2017, inspecting guns and rocket launchers. Seafaring adventures of the kind she undertakes now were far removed from that role. It was during her posting at the Controllerate of Naval Armament Inspection in Mumbai that she took up sailing.
"I took an immediate liking to it. I began as a dinghy sailor and quickly found my way into championships," she said. Soon, she was volunteering for ocean-passage missions. "It was an opportunity I just couldn't miss."
Both officers were adventure-driven — a trait likely fostered during their time in the NCC, and perhaps inherited. Lt Cdr Dilna's father served in the Army and later with the NCC. Lt Cdr Roopa's father was in the Indian Air Force.
Their drive and discipline soon got them noticed. The two were selected from a pool of 17 officers for advanced training at the Ocean Sailing Node (OSN) at INS Mandovi — the same facility that had launched some of India’s most historic voyages under the Sagar Parikrama series.
Conceived by the late Vice Admiral MP Awati, regarded as the father of Indian circumnavigation, the Sagar Parikrama missions aimed to establish India as a global sailing force — especially across the southern oceans. In 2009, Captain Dilip Donde became the first Indian to complete a solo circumnavigation under sail, aboard the Indian-built INSV Mhadei. Though willing to go nonstop, he made four scheduled halts, completing the voyage in May 2010.
Then came Commander Abhilash Tomy in 2013. Building on Capt Donde's voyage, he set off from Mumbai on November 1, 2012, and returned 151 days later without a single stop, covering over 23,000 nautical miles. It was a historic feat — the first by an Indian, and the second by any Asian.
Around the same time, the Navy saw the need for a dedicated sailing institution within its ranks. In July 2016, the Ocean Sailing Node was established at INS Mandovi. It became a hub for expeditions, dinghy-to-seaboat training, and annual races featuring naval sailing vessels.
In 2017, the Navy launched an all-woman circumnavigation mission aboard INSV Tarini under the OSN banner. It marked a significant step for Nari Shakti. The next phase — Navika Sagar Parikrama II — would feature Lt Cdr Dilna K and Lt Cdr Roopa A.
In September 2023, the Navy officially announced Sagar Parikrama IV — a solo, non-stop, unassisted circumnavigation to be attempted by either of the two women officers.
To prepare them, the Navy brought in none other than Cdr Abhilash Tomy (retd), whose 2012 journey had laid the foundation for their own. Having just returned after a podium finish in the Golden Globe Race — the world's most grueling solo sailing event — his mentorship couldn't have come at a better time.
"Before Cdr Abhilash came on board, we trained with various skippers," Lt Cdr Dilna said. "But once he joined us, everything levelled up. His insights were invaluable. He didn't just teach technical skills — he helped us prepare mentally."
Roopa agreed. "He believed in our potential, and that belief changed the game. His understanding of the psychological side of sailing — dealing with solitude, stress — was vital."
In February 2024, the two set off for Mauritius in double-handed mode — the first transoceanic sortie of its kind by Indian women. It was a 2,700-mile continuous passage, their toughest yet.
"They'd sailed from Goa to Port Blair and back before," a Navy source said. "But this was open ocean."
Cdr Abhilash called it their "final exam".
Their successful completion of the voyage, marked by a flag-in on April 20, gave the Navy the confidence to scale up the mission. It announced that Sagar Parikrama IV would be attempted not by one, but by both officers — a dual circumnavigation by Dilna and Roopa, to commence in October 2024.
With only months to go, preparations were in full swing.
"Our training began three years ago at the Ocean Sailing Node," Lt Cdr Roopa told The New Indian Express. "We started on smaller boats to learn the basics, but once you move to bigger sailboats, everything gets amplified — the equipment, the responsibilities, the time at sea."
"You’re out there for days, with no land in sight," she added. "It's physically and mentally demanding, but that's where the real growth happens."
Lt Cdr Dilna agreed. "It's not just about sailing skills — it's about mental endurance. During the Cape to Rio race, we were at sea for six months, battling storms and staying away from family. It was exhausting, but it prepared us for what's next — especially the Southern Ocean and its unpredictable moods. We've trained hard, studied the patterns, and planned extensively. We're ready."
And indeed, they were. On October 2, 2024, the two officers set sail aboard INSV Tarini.
The west-to-east journey included four planned halts to replenish supplies and address technical needs: Fremantle (Australia), Lyttelton (New Zealand), Port Stanley (Falkland Islands), and Cape Town (South Africa). At each stop, the officers were met by legions of supporters — some of whom had flown in from India.
Equally admirably, each event, each turn of the boat, every choppy wave and chaotic gust of wind was tracked — across WhatsApp groups, community forums, and dinner tables. The public was soaking it all in with a level of enthusiasm rarely seen before.
During their eight-month voyage, the duo faced 50-knot winds, freezing temperatures, and stormy seas. They rounded Cape Horn, navigated the infamous Drake Passage, and weathered three cyclones. Each leg posed a unique test. The stretch from Lyttelton to Port Stanley, by many accounts, was the most grueling.
But there were moments of joy too. In Fremantle, the duo were special guests at the Western Australian Parliament. Across their port calls, they met parliamentarians, school children, cadets, and members of the diaspora. They represented India’s seafaring legacy with poise, and also power.
On Thursday, May 29, 2025, when the white sail of INSV Tarini reappeared on the Goan horizon, it was welcomed with a triumphant celebration at Mormugao Port. Among the many distinguished guests was Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, visibly eager to receive the Navy's newest champions.
With the successful completion of the voyage, the Navy now has two more circumnavigators — bringing the total to 10. This is no small feat. The journey of Lieutenant Commanders Dilna and Roopa — over 25,400 nautical miles across four continents, three oceans, and the three great Capes — is now etched in Indian naval history.
With this feat, Indian sailing, it’s safe to say, has truly come of age.