Circumnavigator Abhilash Tomy gets Kirti Chakra

Tomy became the first Indian and the second Asian to have achieved the rare feat

 

• Lt Commander Abhilash Tomy of the Indian Navy, the first Indian to circumnavigate the globe solo nonstop, has been selected for the Kirti Chakra, the nation’s second highest peacetime gallantry medal. 

•  The award has been bestowed in connection with the Independence Day, by the President of India.

• Tomy of Tripunithura achieved the rare feat in his mission Sagar Parikrama II. 

•  “This has been the best news for the day! I am overwhelmed with the announcement. It’s a very big thing for me, and for all those who started the project so many years ago. I am sure people will be drawn into such activities soon,” Tomy said.

• It was during the mission Sagar Parikrama-II, flagged off from Mumbai that Tomy sailed around 23,100 nautical miles in a span of over 150 days from November 2012 to March 31, 2013.

•  His global voyage on board INSV Mhadei, had thousands of followers in the social networking sites.

• On completion of the voyage, Tomy became the first Indian and the second Asian to have achieved the rare feat.

• Only 79 people have circumnavigated the world solo so far.
•  Commander Dilip Donde of the Indian Navy, was the first Indian to circumnavigate the globe solo.However, Commander Donde had four stopovers in his trip.