The students of MICA got an unforgettable experience as National Geographic organized an exclusive meet and greet session with the all women crew Indian Navy’s sailing vessel Tarini. The session was moderated by Dr. Falguni Vasavada-Oza.
The inspiring Indian Navy officers are better known for creating history by circumnavigating the globe in a grueling 254-day voyage. The excitement was palpable as the six members of Indian Navy engaged students with conversations on women breaking the odds to emerge victorious, as part of the National Geographic’s #GirlsWhoSailed initiative.
With #GirlsWhoSailed, National Geographic is celebrating the spirit of women who break barriers and stereotypes. As part of the initiative, National Geographic is showcasing the challenges and hardships the Tarini crew overcame on their historic journey through an exclusive documentary that will premiere on International Women’s Day. As part of this campaign, National Geographic and the Tarini crew are travelling to leading colleges across Ahmedabad, Bengaluru and New Delhi to inspire young students, especially girls by showcasing the real life story of these six courageous women.
Additionally, the #GirlsWhoSailed initiative is encouraging people across the country to share such inspiring stories of Indian women they know. With this background, Lieutenant Commander Vartika Joshi (skipper), crewmembers including Lt Commander Pratibha Jamwal, Lt Commander Aishwarya Boddapati, Lt Commander P Swathi, Lt Commander S Vijaya Devi, Lieutenant Payal Gupta, shared their stories with the students about the historic voyage. Students were enlightened with stories of courage after a 20 minute discussion, which was aimed at helping them unlock their true potential.
Vartika Joshi, Lieutenant Commander and lead Tarini Crew said, “There are bound to be hurdles that one has to face while achieving a dream. Many a times these hurdles would back you down and may mould you to believe that it’s unachievable. Courage, however, lies in sailing beyond these hurdles, holding on to yourself and rising up even when you do not have the energy, even when your surroundings look murky. Despite all odds, the challenges, the stereotypes, there are a few who choose to look beyond the societal mind sets about gender, etc. and make them a non-factor in the way to achieving their dreams. Hence, we are grateful to National Geographic for extending support with the #Girlswhosailed campaign and giving us a platform to encourage women, while showcasing a story of our own”
From harsh seas, stormy conditions to extreme cold temperatures, the film ‘Tarini’ chronicles the journey of every difficulty the vessel faced during the incredibly inspiring expedition known as ‘Navika Sagar Parikrama’. On September 10, 2017, the all women crew of INSV took off from Goa to set a milestone of circumnavigating the globe. The grueling 254-day voyage, which included touching five countries, crossing the equator twice, sailing across four continents and three oceans, completing more than 21,600 nautical miles, ended with the crew returning home on May 21, 2018.
Tarini will premiere on National Geographic at 9 pm, on March 8, 2019. It will also be available on Hotstar.
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