Cdr Abhilash Tomy to advise ISRO on recovery of astronauts after splashdown

He is now mentoring two women Naval officers, Lt Cdr Dilna and Lt Cdr Roopa, for their circumnavigation sailing expedition on Indian Naval Sailing Vessel Tarini. He is also working with ISRO on its manned space mission, Gaganyaan.

Ace circumnavigator and the only Indian to complete the Golden Globe Race (GGR), Cdr Abhilash Tomy (Retd), will mentor and coach two volunteer women Naval officers, Lt Cdr Dilna and Lt Cdr Roopa who will be undertaking Sagar Parikrama IV, a circumnavigation sailing expedition on Indian Naval Sailing Vessel Tarini scheduled for next year. He is also currently working with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on its manned space mission, Gaganyaan, advising on recovery of astronauts at sea.

Ahead of the formal commencement of preparations for Sagar Parikrama IV, the Navy’s Ocean Sailing Node signed a Memorandum of Agreement with Cdr Tomy. At the signing were Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, Controller of Personnel Services and Vice President, Indian Naval Sailing Association (INSA) and Rear Adm Rajesh Dhankhar, Commandant Naval War College, the Navy said in a statement on Thursday.

Lt Cdr Dilna and Lt Cdr Roopa, will form the team undertaking the circumnavigation sailing expedition on Indian Naval Sailing Vessel Tarini next year. The two officers had earlier participated in the seven-month, 17000nm, trans-ocean inter-continental “Goa to Rio & Back” Tarini Expedition.

“Over the coming months, the two officers will train rigorously for the mission under Cdr Tomy’s tutelage, including undertaking several short and long sailing voyages in the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean,” the Navy said. Cdr Tomy would also be mentoring participants of other sailing expeditions and share his experiences at training establishments through motivational talks.

Sagar Parikrama IV will be a crossing “that has never been attempted before” and a significant step in India’s ocean sailing enterprise, the Navy added.

On his association with ISRO, Cdr Tomy told The Hindu that he is working to assist in the recovery of astronauts once the capsule splashes into the sea on return. “When they land, they are landing in the sea. So ISRO wanted help tweaking their procedures for recovery at sea,” he said.