Everyone has a story, and the powerful stories of women that touch our hearts, expand the horizons of our minds, and inspire our souls, must be told.
Hence it is with great pride that the FLO Ahmedabad Chapter had an event to felicitate Lieutenant Commander SH Vijaya Devi, Lieutenants Payal Gupta and B Aishwariya who along with three other female officers of the Indian Navy conquered the seas.
Navika Sagar Parikrama was the circumnavigation of the globe by female officers of the Indian Navy, the first ever global journey, on the INSV Tarini. The voyage lasted 254 days crossing the equator twice, passing through 3 oceans, and traveling 21,600 nautical miles.
The officers spoke at length about how they convinced their families, underwent an intensive training period, and embarked on such a thrilling adventure. After interacting with the officers, we were all amazed at how they dealt with extreme heat, rains, and stormy conditions as nature can be both loving as well as unforgiving. The Audience was awestruck when they showed that gender was never a deterrent in their minds and how they confronted their fears and broke all stereotypes to achieve their goals and aspirations.
The Q & A interaction with the naval officers was followed by the unveiling of the Give Back to the Society Campaign. Under this campaign, the FLO Ahmedabad Chapter collaborated with Gateway Foundation for the educational Scholarship of 15 girls under the “Vijay Moharir Scholarship Fund”.
The biggest takeaway from the Tarini Crew brave hearts is inspiration, great courage, zest for life, and believing in yourself to achieve your goals with hard work.