Vartika Joshi (INSV Tarini)

Some Lesser Known Facts About Vartika Joshi

• Vartika Joshi is known for being the Skipper of the first six-member all-woman Indian crew of INSV Tarini; completing a 254-day circumnavigation of the globe that they began from Goa on 10 September 2017. The other crew members were- Lieutenant Vijaya Devi (education branch), Lieutenant Pratibha Jamwal (Air Traffic Control), Lieutenant P Swathi (ATC) and Lieutenant Payal Gupta (education officer). 

• Vartika had earlier been on a sea world voyage in Mhadei boat. 

• She was also a part of Republic Day Parade in 2015. 

• Vartika has her roots in Uttarakhand; one of the hilly states in India.

• She spent her childhood in picturesque Syalkhet village in Garhwal, Uttarakhand.

• Vartika’s father, P. K. Joshi is a Professor in the Education Department of Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University, Srinagar, while her mother is the Head of the Department (Hindi) at the Government College in Rishikesh.

• After receiving a degree in Aerospace Engineering from Amity University Noida, Vartika joined the Indian Navy in 2010.

• Until she joined the Indian Navy in 2010, Vartika had seen an Ocean only in the movies or in photographs.

• In 2014, she was also chosen for the voyage from Brazil to Cape Town with Commander M V V Satish and Commander T G S Bedi.

• Recalling her first voyage as a nightmare, Vartika said that just three days after they left the Rio de Janeiro harbour, their diesel generator stopped working, and eventually, the engine also broke down. They had to spend 10-12 days in complete darkness. They returned to Brazil using olden ways of sailing; as the GPS and electronic navigation system were not working.

• On 21 May 2018, the Indian Naval Sailing Vessel Tarini (INSV Tarini) entered Goa harbour; after completing a historic global circumnavigation voyage.

• INSV Tarini is a 56-foot indigenously built sailing vessel, which was inducted in the Indian Navy in February 2017. 

• The expedition that Vartika had led was titled ‘Navika Sagar Parikrama.’ 

• The idea of an all-woman Indian crew for global circumnavigation was in consonance with the National policy to empower women to attain their full potential. 

• On 10 September 2017, the mission was flagged off by India’s Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in presence of Manohar Parrikar (Chief Minister of Goa) and Admiral Sunil Lanba (Indian Navy Chief) from Goa Port. 

• During her 254 days long voyage, the vessel visited five countries – Australia, New Zealand, Falkland Islands (UK), South Africa and Mauritius; covering over 22,000 Nautical miles. At each of these countries, the crew was greeted from the Indian Diaspora; as well from the local community. 

• During the course of her voyage, INSV Tarini met all criteria of circumnavigation, viz. crossing all Longitudes, crossing the Equator twice, as also the three great capes (Cape Leeuwin, Cape Horn and Cape of Good Hope). 

• On various occasions, the vessel and the crew encountered rough seas during the voyage including extremely cold climate, Southern Ocean’s stormy weather, winds in excess of 60 knots and waves up to 7 meters high (while crossing the Pacific Ocean).

• Here’s a glimpse of Vartika Joshi and her crew members during their globe-circumnavigation: