Naval officer Commander Abhilash Tomy of Indian Navy has participated in historic Golden Globe Race (GGR), which commenced from Les Sables d’Olonne harbour in western France.
He will be representing India in indigenously built sailing vessel Thuriya, a replica of 1950s sailing vessel Suhaili.
Tomy, one of India's prominent sailors and a recipient of the Kirti Chakra, is the only participant from Asia.
There are 18 participants, including one-woman sailor, in the race. The race is expected to end at Les Sables d’Olonne in April 2019.
Commander Abhilash Tomy is only Indian to complete solo, non-stop circumnavigation of globe in 2012-13, on-board Indian Naval Sailing Vessel (INSV) Mhadei, and has covered 53,000 nautical miles under sail.
Golden Globe Race
The Golden Globe Race is being conducted by Sir Robin Knox Johnston of the UK to commemorate 50 years of the world's first solo non-stop circumnavigation undertaken by him in 1968 on board the Indian built boat, Suhaili.
The uniqueness of the race is that boat designs and technology newer than 1968 are not permitted.
Hence, the use of Global Positioning System (GPS), satellite communication, navigational aids, etc are forbidden.