City-based Aishwarya Boddapati, who was part of the first-ever all-woman’s crew that successfully circumnavigated the globe in Indian Naval Sailing Vessel (INSV) Tarini , said gender was not a barrier to achieve one’s dream and the expedition only reinforced that belief.
Lieutenant Commander Aishwarya said the journey was all the more exciting as it was an all-woman team. The 254-day expedition started on September 10, 2017 covering 22,000 Nautical miles. The team completed the voyage in five legs. Starting from Goa, they later headed to Fremantle in Australia, Lytteton in New Zealand, and then to Port Stanley Falkland Islands and finally to Cape Town in South Africa which ended in Goa on May 21, 2018.
The aim was to cross the equator twice, to cross all the prime meridians to go south of three big Capes namely Cape Leewin, Cape Horn and Cape of Good Hope and the total distance covered by the crew to be greater than the circumference of earth i.e., 21,600 Nautical miles. The voyage was taken up under the mentorship of Dilip Donde, the first Indian to circumnavigate the globe in 2009-10.
