Air Marshal PV Shivanand, AVSM, VM, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C), South Western Air Command (SWAC), felicitated nine women officers of the Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force for successfully completing the first-ever Tri-Services all-women circumnavigation sailing expedition, ‘Samudra Pradakshina’, today.
The felicitation ceremony was held at Headquarters SWAC and was attended by senior functionaries of the Indian Army, Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF) and civil administration, besides students from various schools.
Undertaken aboard the Indian Army Sailing Vessel (IASV) Triveni, the 314-day expedition covered nearly 25,500 nautical miles across four oceans. The voyage subjected the crew to demanding physical and mental challenges and tested their endurance, leadership, teamwork and resilience.
Interacting with the officers, Air Marshal Shivanand commended their achievement and described the expedition as a shining example of Nari Shakti and Tri-Service jointness. He praised the team for displaying exceptional determination and mental resilience in overcoming the challenges encountered during the voyage.
The officers shared their experiences of the expedition, highlighting the challenges they faced and the lessons they learnt in teamwork, leadership and perseverance. Their achievement reflects the growing participation of women in challenging operational and expeditionary roles in the Armed Forces.
Air Marshal Shivanand congratulated the officers on their accomplishment and said their achievement would inspire young women across the country to pursue challenging goals and break conventional barriers.
The successful completion of ‘Samudra Pradakshina’ marks a significant milestone for the Indian Armed Forces and underscores the spirit of jointness, empowerment and excellence.
