In a first, all-women Indian Army team undertakes offshore sailing expedition off India's east coast

Aimed at motivating young women to take up sailing as an adventure sport, an Indian Army team of nine women officers has set sail on a Chennai-Visakhapatnam-Chennai expedition.

Heading out to sea from the Chennai port, the team of women sailors are led by Major Mukta S Gautam and will be covering a distance of nearly 900 nautical miles or 1700 kilometres.

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Organised by Army Southern Wing Sailing Command Node and EME Sailing Association, Secunderabad, this maiden expedition by the crew that comprises officers of the rank major and captain, will demonstrate the strength and vigour of women officers in the Indian Army.

The expedition was flagged off from Chennai Port by Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan, Governor of Telangana and Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry, in presence of senior Officers of the Indian Army.

The Governor emphasised that Indian women are shattering all possible glass ceilings and making their own mark, setting new benchmarks. She said that this expedition would not

Only give an impetus to sailing as a sport, but also inspire and motivate young girls to join the Indian Army, don Olive green uniforms and serve the nation.

Lt Gen TSA Narayanan, Commandant MCEME (Military College of Electronics and Mechanical Engineering), congratulated the women officers for having completed their gruelling training and being selected for the expedition. He said that the event was another step towards women empowerment and enhancing the role of women officers in the Army.

The Sailing Association at MCEME has been taking efforts to promote sailing and has groomed sailors of national and international repute. They have also undertaken numerous expeditions in recent decades. These include sea routes such as Mumbai-Kochi, Mumbai-Goa-Mumbai and the Around the Indian Peninsula Offshore sailing expedition, among others.