INSV Triveni : Historic All-Women Global Voyage
Experience the historic voyage of INSV Triveni, as an all-women Indian crew sails 26,000 miles to champion Nari Shakti, marine diversity, and defense cooperation across the world’s most challenging oceans.
The Southern Ocean shimmered under a silver sun as the Indian Army Sailing Vessel Triveni glided into Lyttelton Port, Christchurch, a proud silhouette against the backdrop of mountains and the endless blue. Onboard was an all-women crew, a living emblem of Nari Shakti — strength, resilience, and the boundless potential of women.
This historic circumnavigation is more than a voyage. It is a clarion call to the youth to embrace challenges, a tribute to the indomitable spirit of women in uniform, and a testament to India’s commitment to marine diversity and climate consciousness.
Commanded by Lt. Colonel Anuja Varudkar, the crew made up of volunteers from the Army, Navy, and the Air Force charting a daring course of 26,000 nautical miles. Their voyage will cross the Equator twice, round the three Capes of Leeuwin, Horn, and Good Hope, and touch four international ports.
From Mumbai’s bustling shores, Triveni set sail on September 11 for Fremantle. After a brief halt in Hobart, she was welcomed into Lyttelton on December 15 with warmth that spanned cultures – first by the Indian diaspora and then through Māori pōwhiri (welcoming ceremony) at Rāpaki Marae (meeting house), where chants mingled with ocean winds.
Besides the skipper, the crew that sailed into Lyttleton comprised of Major Karamjeet Kaur and Major Prajakta Nikam from the Indian Army, Lt Cdr Priyanka Gusain from the Indian Navy, Lt Cdr Priyanka Gusain from the Indian Navy, and Sqn Ldr Shraddha Raju, Sqn Ldr Aruvi Jaydev and Wgn Cdr Vibha Singh from the Indian Airforce.
“This is the first time the women from the three Services are involved in an expedition like this,” said Lt. Col. Varudkar.
“We have the best of the three Services. This is a model where we are the pioneers – especially women in these Services.”
The 16.05-metre yacht built in India is fitted with cutting-edge navigation and communication systems. Yet, the Southern Ocean is no gentle companion. Its waters are wild, its moods mercurial.
“Any ocean can be treacherous but can be navigated with a good crew. Keeping the harmony of the crew is important,” Lt. Col. Varudkar noted.
Earlier this year, the team etched their first milestone with a two-month international voyage from Mumbai to Seychelles and back.
The Indian High Commissioner Her Excellency Neeta Bhushan hosted a dinner for the crew in sharing with a select group of delegates that included local and national politicians. She shared insights and anecdotes including a particular incident when crew members had to dive and fix an issue under the vessel in waters infamous spot for shark attacks.
The expedition validated the team’s self-sufficiency, endurance, and seamanship establishing them as a formidable ocean-sailing crew, according to India’s Canberra-based Defence Advisor Capt. Rohit Kattouj, who supported the crew when the sailed into Lyttleton.
“This voyage marked another chapter in the deepening of the friendship between India and New Zealand,” says Amitrajit Sarkar, Treasurer of the Christchurch Bengali Community Inc, who was one of the guests at the dinner.
New Zealand, the land of long white clouds, is the second port of call for the ship reflecting the growing cooperation in the area of defence. This visit is the fifth visit by an Indian defence vessel since INSV Tarini’s visit in 2017 and fourth since 2023. Prior to this, INS Kolkata and INS Shahyadri visited in 2023 and INSV Tarini II in 2024.
As repairs wrap up, Triveni will soon unfurl her sails toward Buenos Aires, braving 7,000 nautical miles before rounding Cape Town and returning home to Mumbai by May 2026. Each nautical mile is a verse in a saga of endurance, seamanship, and solidarity.
In Māori lore, the ocean is a living ancestor, a keeper of stories. To these fearless women, one proverb seems destined:
Kua tawhiti kē tō haerenga mai, kia kore e haere tonu. He nui rawa ō mahi kia kore e mahi tonu.
English translation: You have come too far not to go further; you have done too much not to do more.
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