Kolkata, Dec 16
An all-women-crewed Indian Army sailing vessel, Triveni, carrying the message of ‘Nari Shakti’ (women empowerment) to distant shores, sailed into Lyttelton Port in Christchurch this week, where the crew received a warm and enthusiastic welcome from the Indian community in New Zealand.

The crew comprises women officers from all three wings of the Indian Armed Forces -- the Army, Navy and Air Force. Details of the felicitation programme were shared exclusively with IANS by a communications officer of the organising body, who is of Indian and Bengali origin with roots in Kolkata.

The 16.05-metre, India-built yacht set sail from Mumbai on September 11 after being flagged off by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. It first reached Fremantle in Australia before undertaking the challenging journey across the Tasman Sea to Christchurch.

The ambitious circumnavigation plan involves sailing nearly 26,000 nautical miles in an easterly direction, crossing the Equator twice, and navigating around Cape Leeuwin, Cape Horn and the Cape of Good Hope, with four international ports of call along the way.

Skipper of the expedition, Lieutenant Colonel Anuja Varudkar, said the voyage carried a great sense of responsibility. “We are carrying the hopes of the Indian Armed Forces and the aspirations of Indians at home and abroad. This mission sets a global benchmark,” she said, adding, “We have the best of the three Services. This is a pioneering model, especially for women in uniform.”

Besides Lt Col Varudkar, the crew sailing into Lyttelton included Major Karamjeet Kaur and Major Prajakta Nikam from the Indian Army; Lieutenant Commander Priyanka Gusain from the Indian Navy; and Wing Commander Vibha Singh, Squadron Leader Shraddha Raju, and Squadron Leader Aruvi Jaydev from the Indian Air Force.

Indian High Commissioner to New Zealand Neeta Bhushan hosted a dinner in honour of the crew, attended by select delegates, including local and national politicians. During the interaction, the officers shared insights and anecdotes from the voyage, including a dramatic incident when crew members had to dive underwater to fix a technical issue in shark-infested waters.

“This voyage marks another chapter in the deepening friendship between India and New Zealand,” said Amitrajit Sarkar, treasurer of the Christchurch Bengali Community Inc., who was among the invitees.

The yacht is currently undergoing repairs and is scheduled to sail next week on a challenging 7,000-nautical-mile leg to Buenos Aires, Argentina -- a stretch Lt Col Varudkar described as “treacherous.” The final phase of the expedition will include a stop at Cape Town before Triveni returns to its home port in Mumbai around May 2026.

All-women Indian Army sailing vessel receives grand welcome in Christchurch