Dilip Donde: Difference between revisions

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Captain '''Dilip Donde''' (born 26 September 1967) is a retired [[Indian Navy|Indian Naval]] officer and the first Indian to complete a solo, unassisted [[circumnavigation]] of the globe under [[Sailing|sail]]. From April 2006 to May 2010 he planned and executed Project 'Sagar Parikrama'<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ndtv.com/video/features/news/mission-sagar-parikrama-96858 | title=Sagar Parikrama | accessdate=15 June 2022}}</ref> which involved constructing a sailboat in India and then sailing it around the world.  He was the hundred and ninetieth person to complete the journey solo.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.robinknox-johnston.co.uk/solo-circumnavigators/ | title=Solo Circumnavigators | accessdate=20 January 2022}}</ref>

The voyage was the first of the Indian Navy's project Sagar Parikrama, initiated by late [[Vice admiral|Vice-Admiral]] [[Manohar Prahlad Awati]] (Retd). Capt. Donde started his circumnavigation from Mumbai on 19 August 2009 and finished on 19 May 2010. During the nine-month-long circumnavigation he stopped at four ports and was at sea for 157 days.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.sagarparikrama.blogspot.in/2010/05/back-home.html | title=Back Home! | date=31 May 2010 | accessdate=20 January 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report-dilip-donde-becomes-first-indian-to-circumnavigate-the-world-solo-1386270 | title=Dilip Donde becomes the first Indian to circumnavigate the world solo | date=22 May 2010 | accessdate=20 January 2022}}</ref> Donde volunteered to undertake the project for the Indian Navy in 2006. Over the next four years he built a boat with an Indian boat-builder, trained himself and sailed solo around the world with four stops en route.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/Circumnavigating-world-solo-first-Indian-comes-home-today/article16039212.ece | title=Circumnavigating world solo first Indian comes home today |work=[[The Hindu]] |date=22 May 2010 |accessdate=20 January 2022}}</ref>

The boat used in his circumnavigation as part of the Sagar Parikrama project was the Indian Navy Sailing Vessel [[INSV Mhadei|INSV ''Mhadei'']], custom built by the Indian Navy. The 56-foot Van de Stadt 'Tonga' design [[sloop]] was built as a wood core epoxy construction by Mr Ratnakar Dandekar at his boat yard [http://www.aquariusgoa.com/ Aquarius Shipyard] Pvt Ltd on [[Divar]] island in Goa by Ratnakar Dandekar.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-sundaymagazine/mhadei-in-india-sailing-the-world/article21825384.ece | title=mhadei in india sailing the world | work=[[The Hindu|the hindu]] | date=17 December 2017 | accessdate=20 January 2022}}</ref> The boat was handed over to the Indian Navy on 12 February 2009 and named after the river Mhadei, the original name of the [[Mandovi River]] in Goa.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.heraldgoa.in/Goa/The-Sunday-Roundtable/mhadei-team-ecstatic/36444.html | title=Mhadei team ecstatic | work=[[O Heraldo|Herald]] | date=23 May 2010 | accessdate=20 January 2022}}</ref>

Donde recounts his story in his book, ''The First Indian: Story of the First Indian Solo Circumnavigation Under Sail''.<ref>{{cite news | title=The First Indian: The First Indian Solo Circumnavigation Under Sail (Making Waves) | date=19 April 2016 |isbn = 978-1909911499}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/first-indian-to-sail-around-the-globe-recounts-his-epic-voyage-in-a-book/ | title=First Indian to sail around the globe recounts his epic voyage in a book | work=[[The Indian Express]] | date=20 August 2014 | accessdate=3 February 2022}}</ref>  He left [[Mumbai]] from the [[Naval Dockyard]] on 19 August 2009 at 16:30 after being flagged off by [[Chief of the Naval Staff (India)|Chief of Naval Staff]], Admiral Sureesh Mehta. He crossed, from West to East, the Indian, Pacific, Southern and Atlantic Oceans, covering over 23,000 [[nautical miles]], rounding [[Cape Leeuwin]] in Australia, [[Cape Horn]] in South America and [[Cape of Good Hope]] in Africa. The journey took 273 days and was completed on 19 May 2010.

On 22 May 2010, he was given a ceremonial welcome in Mumbai by the then [[Vice President of India]], Mohd Hamid Ansari. Ansari stated, "Donde has shown that skill, determination and courage can achieve what is considered to be immensely difficult, if not impossible.".<ref>{{cite news | url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Navy-commander-first-Indian-to-circumnavigate-globe-solo/articleshow/5964152.cms | title=Navy commander first Indian to circumnavigate globe solo | work=[[timesofindia|The Times of India]] | date=23 May 2010 | accessdate=20 January 2022}}</ref>  

Dilip Donde mentored Lt Cdr [[Abhilash Tomy]] and headed the shore support team to plan and execute Sagar Parikrama 2, the first solo nonstop circumnavigation by an Indian. He subsequently trained several young naval officers, most recently the all women naval officers team that completed [[Navika Sagar Parikrama]].<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/six-women-a-boat-and-21-600-nautical-miles-in-eight-months-10-things-about-the-indian-navy-mission/story-TgoUCsuaSi3i222pgP7t5J.html | title=six women a boat and 21600 nautical miles in eight months 10 things about the indian navy mission | work=[[hindustantimes|The Hindustan Times]] | date=17 August 2017 | accessdate=20 January 2022}}</ref>

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*The [[Shaurya Chakra]], third highest peacetime gallantry award in India<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/mumbai/first-indian-to-solo-circumnavigate-the-globe-honoured-with-shaurya-chakra/story-eEU4iI1a6haib3s7xqy2YK.html | title=first indian to solo circumnavigate the globe honoured with shaurya chakra | work=[[hindustantimes|The Hindustan Times]] | date=17 August 2010 | accessdate=20 January 2022}}</ref>

*The [[Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award]]<ref>{{cite news | url=http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=74460 | title=Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award Announced | work=[[pib|press information bureau]] | date=12 August 2011 | accessdate=20 January 2022}}</ref>