Lecture by Cdr Abhilash Tomy KC, NM
Commander Abhilash Tomy, Kirti Chakra, Nao Sena Medal, the first and only Indian to circumnavigate the Earth in a sailing boat, solo, non-stop, and unassisted, was in Pune at the Invitation of the Indian Maritime Foundation (IMF), to relate his experiences of Sailing around the Earth, in a Lecture-cum-Presentation, on 31st October 2019. The function was held at the Mahatma Phule Sanskrutik Bhavan, Wanowrie, and was co-sponsored by the Navy Foundation, Pune Chapter (NFPC).
Present were members of the IMF and the NFPC, as well as Rotarians from various clubs in Pune, members of the HAM Amateur Radio Club of Pune, and other interested citizens. Also present were large number of NCC Naval Wing Cadets, Sea Cadets from the Pune unit of Sea Cadet Corps, Cadets from the Ocean Cadets Academy, and Trainees from the Tolani Maritime Institute, and students of local schools. Commodore Rajan Vir, President IMF welcomed everyone, and Commodore Ajay Chitnis, Vice President IMF introduced Commander Abhilash Tomy.
Cdr Tomy narrated his experiences from the very beginning, of how he got involved and what led him to volunteer to undertake this arduous voyage, which would keep him alone at sea in a 56-foot boat for nearly six months, with no stop, and no support from shore. Through very exciting visuals – photos and video clips, he took the audience around the world giving them a feel of how the waves and winds varied from flat calm to being as high as a 7-storey buildings and speeds of over 100 kmph. He had the audience spell bound throughout his narration. He was flagged off from Mumbai on the 1st of November 2012 by the President of India, and also ceremonially welcomed back 151 days later by the President himself. On his return, he became the first Indian to circumnavigate the globe solo, non-stop and unassisted, and only the 79th person in the world to have achieved this feat.
He then spoke about his second attempt to circumnavigate the globe when he was the only Asian to be invited to participate in the Golden Globe Race in 2018. This was to be in boats equipped with navigation and radio aids available before 1968. His boat, the Thuriya, was built in India, and based on a design of the boat that won the race 50 years ago, in 1968. Tomy was lying in third position, when a severe storm struck and his boat was severely damaged, and overturned twice, resulting in it being ‘Dismasted’. While trying to trim the sails, Cdr Tomy fell from the mast and suffered a grievous injury to his back, as a result of which he had to lie absolutely flat on his bunk. He was in the remotest part of the southern Indian Ocean – 2000 miles from the West Coast of Australia, and 2000 miles from Africa. After sending out his initial message, he could not communicate further due to his injury. His boat was spotted by a Maritime Reconnaissance Aircraft of the Indian Navy, which had taken off from Arkonam, near Chennai, and refueled at Mauritius. After that he was rescued by a French Fisheries Patrol Vessel, and taken to Amsterdam Island, from where an Indian Naval Ship Satpura evacuated him to Visakhapatnam.
Cdr Abhilash Tomy received a Standing Ovation from the audience, and took on questions also, during which he said that he was almost fully fit and had recently done a 52-km Kayaking expedition recently. Cdr Mohan Philip, Officiating President of NFPC proposed the Vote of Thanks.
