INS Tarangini Returns to Kochi After Seven-Month Long Sailing; Rear Admiral RJ Nadkarni Receives The Ship

The sail training ship of Indian Navy, INS Tarangini based at Kochi, returned after a seven-month long sailing across the world to a grand reception at naval base, Kochi on 30 Oct 18. Rear Admiral RJ Nadkarni, VSM, Chief of Staff, Southern Naval Command received the ship. The Southern Naval Command at South Jetty of the naval base conducted a welcoming ceremony to mark the occasion. Captain Varun Singh, SC, Senior Officer First Training Squadron and a number of senior officers, families of the crew and other distinguished guests also attended the function.

A 3-masted square rigged barque, #INSTarangini was rec’d by RAdm RJ Nadkarni COS HQSNC at a grand welcome ceremony organised at Kochi pic.twitter.com/6Z7LssGMIb

— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) October 30, 2018

The Voyage named “Lokayan 18” was flagged off on 10 Apr 18 from Kochi. During the voyage, the ship sailed across 15 ports in 13 countries. The ship sailed across the Arabian Sea, Red Sea, Suez Canal, Mediterranean Sea, Strait of Gibraltar, North Atlantic Ocean, Bay of Biscay, English Channel and North Sea, right up to Norway before returning to its Kochi. he ship also participated in the culminating event of the ‘Three Festival Tall Ships Regatta’ at Bordeaux, France. As well as the ‘Tall Ships Races Europe 2018’ which started at Sunderland, UK and touched Esbjerg, Denmark and Stavanger, Norway before finishing at Harlingen, Netherlands.

#Lokayan18 Sail Training Ship #INSTarangini returns after a 7- month long voyage across the world. Showed the Indian Tri-colour & highlighted our diverse culture across 15 ports in 13 countries @DefenceMinIndia @SpokespersonMoD pic.twitter.com/aCWqtDdYkn

— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) October 30, 2018

INS Tarangini is a three masted ‘square rigged’ barque which carries a total of 20 sails. She is the First Sail Training Ship in Indian Navy and was commissioned on 11 Nov 1997. In her 21 years of glorious service, she has sailed over 2,20,000 nautical miles to date across the world’s oceans. The ship is under the command of Cdr Rahul Mehta. The ship has a crew of nine officers and 43 sailors and can also embark 30 Officer Sea Trainees. She is the first of two Sail Training Ships in the First Training Squadron. The other Sail Training Ship is INS Sudarshini.

The primary role of these Sail Training Ships is to develop character and professionalism, as well as inculcate the qualities of initiative, courage, resilience and esprit-de-corps amongst the Sea Trainees and also impart practical training to them, primarily on navigation, sailing and seamanship.

(Source: PIB)