Two men and a boat

It was smooth sailing for Commander Abhilash Tomy in the Golden Globe Race, one of the world’s most arduous sporting challenges. Until a freak storm cripple Cdr. Tomy and his boat. What followed was a unlikely international rescue operation that touched the lives of everyone including Cdr. Tomy.

People in the armed forces have something indestructible within them. An odd determination to risk everything that matters in order to fulfil their mission.

For Captain Anand, the call was always between family and duty, while for Commander Abhilash Tomy, the sense of adventure was always accompanied by a belief that some day, someone else from India would take on a similar or even bigger challenge.

Links to Clips Used

1. Weekly calls with the organisers of the Golden Globe Race and various sailors were taken from their Soundcloud page — https://soundcloud.com/goldengloberace
2. Cdr. Abhilash Tomy’s call excerpts taken from — https://soundcloud.com/goldengloberace/abhilash-tomy-weekly-satellite-call-090818
3. Cdr. Abhilash Tomy’s interview at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11J8pPHZ8R0
4. Cdr. Abhilash Tomy’s TEDx talk — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlAjbKyCFLY
5. Cdr. Abhilash Tomy’s speech when in the presence of the President of India – “Sir, can I get one more chance please?” — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1AQlykHk4A
6. “What is the Golden Globe Race?”, a news report by Rajya Sabha TV — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PumczVp4EYM
7. Interview with Sir William Robert Patrick “Robin” Knox-Johnston, the first man to perform a single-handed non-stop circumnavigation of the globe and the the only man to complete the Golden Globe Race in 1968 — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xObpjZ-s9pg
8. Sir Robin Knox-Johnston on his yacht, the Suhaili, complete the Golden Globe Race — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0oPydlutdA
9. “How I became India’s first solo-circumnavigator”, a TEDx talk by Capt. Dilip Donde — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJGJEvmie3M
10. Capt. Alok Anand spoke to us exclusively from his base on a phone call.

Transcript

Taarikh hai nau August 2018 aur din hai guruvaar. Iss recording mein aap Indian Navy ke Lieutenant Commander Abhilash Tomy ko sun rahe the. Tomy Golden Globe Race ke aayojakon ki weekly safety call ke madhyam se hum sab ko bata rahein hai ki wo sahi salamat hai aur apne lakshya ki taraf bina kisi rukawat ke, sahajta se badh rahe hain.

Par Tomy hai kahaan? Commander Abhilash Tomy, Bhaaratiya samudra tat se koson door, Indian ocean ki sainkdo leheron mein se kisi ek lehar par apni yacht — The Thuriya — mein sawar hai.

Unke chaaron taraf SIRF ek antheen vishal samandar hai.

Par Abhilash akele wahaan kya kar rahein hai?

Aap sun rahe hai Spotify Originals aur ATS Studio ki ye peshkash : Special Mission. Main hoon Gul Panag.

Kuch kahaniyaan aapko andar se jhakjhor kar rakh deti hai, aap sochne par majboor ho jaate hai ki agar main wahan hoti toh kya karti? Kya itna jazba hai mujh mein? Iss show / podcast ke zariye hum Bhartiya sashastra sena ki aisi hi kuch ansuni kahaniyaan aap tak pahunchaane ka prayas karenge.

Commander Abhilash Tomy, koi sadharan sailor nahin hai. Par ye race bhi koi sadharan race nahin hai. Golden Globe Race duniye ki sabse mushkil sailing race maani jaati hai.

Golden Globe Race itni kathin hai, ki is race ko khatam karne waalon ki sankhya Mount Everest pe chadhne waalon ki, ya antriksh mein jaane waalon ki sankhya se bhi KAM hai. 2018 mein iss race ki 50th anniversary thi aur Tomy unn 17 sailors mein se ek the jinhein iss race mein bhaag lene ka nimantran mila.

Tomy Bhaartiya nau sena mein ek afsar hai aur ek maahir yachtsman bhi. Agar Bhaarat mein koi ye race poori kar sakta hai, toh wo Tomy hi hai. Aur jaisa aapne uss recording mein suna bhi, Tomy ki aawaz saahas aur aatmavishwas se bhari hai.

Unki race abhi tak acchi ja rahi hai.

Abhilash Tomy wo photographs kabhi nahin le paaye. Kudrat ne kuch aur chaaha aur unki race Golden Globe Race se badalkar zindagi aur maut ki race bann gayi. 21 September 2018 ko, iss call recording ke theek baarah ghante baad, ek Bhayanak toofan aata hai aur unki yacht “The Thuriya” ka mast tod deta hai.

Is toofan mein, sirf Thuriya ki reedh ki haddi nahi tooti thi, uss toofan ne Tomy ki reedh ki haddi bhi tod di thi. 85 din akele samndar mein bitaane ke baad, Tomy ab apni yacht mein asthir awastha mein pade the.

New Zealand ke coast se 4,000 km door, ek aisi yacht mein jiska MAST nahi hai, Commander Abhilash Tomy ke paas intezaar karne ke alawa doosra koi chaara bhi nahin tha.

Aur agle teen din, viparit paristhitiyon ke baawjood, humne ek adbhut antarashtriya prayas dekha, Commander Tomy ko bachane ke liye.

Ye mission ek special mission tha aur aaj main aapko Cdr. Abhilash Tomy ke rescue ki poori kahani bataungi.

Commander Abhilash Tomy sailing ki duniya ka Ek jaana maana naam hain. Golden Globe Race ke theek paanch saal pehle, 2013 mein Abhilash Tomy ne bina ruke apni yacht mein poori duniya ka chakkar kaata tha, wo bhi solo, yaani, bilkul akele

Aisa karne waale wo Bhaarat ke pehle sailor the. Lehren chahe teen feet ki ho ya teen manzila imarat jitni badi, Tomy ke saahas ke saamne chhoti padd hi jaati thi.

November 2012 mein Mumbai se rawana hone ke baad commander Abhilash April 2013 mein poore vishva ka chakkar kaat kar waapas Mumbai laute, aur ye uplabdhi haasil kar ke unhone apna naam sailing ki duniya mein swarna aksharon mein darj kara liya tha.

Tomy ko Kirti Chakra se nawaza gaya aur ye khitaab paane waale wo Bhartiya nau sena ke sirf doosre shakhs the. 2013 tak unhone Bhartiya sailing mein lagbhag har uplabdhi haasil kar li thi jo haasil kari ja sakti thi. Par Tomy ke liye toh bas ye shuruat thi.

Unke reception mein tatkaaleen Bhaarat ke Rashtrapati Shri Pranab Mukherjee bhi audience mein maujood the, aur wahaan Commander Tomy ne unse ek special request ki…

Abhilash Tomy ki iss special request ko pura hone mein 5 saal se zyada lage. Unko “one more round” pe jaane ka mauka ek nimantran ke roop mein mila. Aur wo nimantran tha, duniya ki sabse mushkil race mein bhaag lene ka.

Ek aisi race jise bahut kam log poori kar paayein hai aur isiliye ise poori karna hi apne aap mein ek uplabdhi hai. The Golden Globe Race.

Iss race ko puri karne waale pehle aur akele vyakti the Sir Robin Knox Johnston. Unhone ye uplabdhi 1968 mein haasil ki thi aur 2018 mein iss race ko aayojit karne ki ek badi wajah uss uplabdhi ki pachasvi anniversary bhi thi.

Apne ek interview mein Sir Robin ne duniya ko apni yacht se naapne ka ek simple sa route kuch yun bataya tha.

Iss race ko sabse mushkil maane jaane ka ek kaaran ye bhi hai ki aaj tak ismein hissa lene waalon ko unhi upkarnon ka prayog karna padta hai jo 1968 mein Sir Robin ne kiya tha.

Matlab, na toh aap apna smartphone le ja sakte hai aur aur na hi koi aadhunik GPS tracker. Aap lekar jaate hai toh sirf ek naksha aur apna hausla.

Sunne mein hi kaafi mushkil lag raha hai par Sir Robin Knox Johnston ne 1968 mein thik yahi kiya aur ye karne waale wo duniye ke pehle shakhs the.

We need to dramatically change the scene here, and we are now going to introduce Capt. Alok Ananda in this episode. In fact, let’s have a signature tune for Capt Ananda and a separate signature tune for Capt. Tomy, so we know we are talking about 2 different people?

Capt. Alok Ananda
I am captain Alok Anand, I am serving in the Indian navy. Maine navy join ki thi 1993 mein, jab main commissioned hua tha.

Ye hain Captain Alok Anand, jo Bhartiya nau sena ke ek anoobhavi afsar hai aur hamari aaj ki iss kahani ka ek atoot hissa bhi. Captain Alok, apne parivaar ke anya sadasyon ki tarah enginner ya doctor nahin banna chahte the.

Capt. Alok Ananda
My family was full of doctors, engineers and bureaucrats, but I chose not to take that path and when i got an opportunity to join the naval academy then i left all other options and i did not have any doubt in my mind about where i wanted to go because it was a completely unknown field for me. I had not seen a sea or an ocean before, actually i came to never ?? I knew nothing about the navy. I think that streak continues even now I tend to get attracted to the unknown and I always believe in taking that leap of faith.

Bachpan se hi unhein bheed se alag chalne ki aadat thi. Wo kuch alag ki talash mein the. Aur unki ye jigyasa hi unhein Bhartiya Nau Sena tak le aayi.

Capt. Alok Ananda
Yeh main tees saal ke baad, aaj poorey vishwas ke saath keh sakta hai ki shayad wo meri zindagi ka sabse mehtavpoorn aur achcha decision tha kyunki jis tarah ki zindagi maine pichle tees saalon mein navy mein guzari hai, bahut kam logon ko naseeb hoti hai.

30 saal baad, aaj bhi, Captain Alok ko nau sena ki ye zindagi utni hi romanchak lagti hai, aur shayad isiliye, nau sena mein shaamil hone ke uss nirnay ko wo aaj bhi sabse mehtvapoorn maante hai.

Ab aage badhne se pehle ye jaanna zaroori hai ki Bhartiya nau sena iss abhiyaan mein ghusi kaise? Aur Commander Abhilash Tomy ka kya hua unn teen din baad?

Dilip Donde
I did not know about these things, till I was asked by the Navy in 2006 whether I would like to volunteer for a solo circumnavigation. I found myself at the crossroads … absolutely harebrained to me.

Captain Donde batate hai ki unhein pata bhi nahin tha ki solo circumnavigation kya hota hai. Wo toh 2006 mein bhartiya nau sena ne jab unse kaha ki agar wo ismein hissa lena chahte hai toh le sakte hai, tab jaake inhein maaloom pada ki aisa kuch hota bhi hai. Uss samay wo zindagi ke dorahe mein khade the, ya toh wo apni acchi khaasi naukri aaram se Andaman Nicobar mein kar sakta the ya fir iss project ka hissa bankar duniya ki saer.

Ye the Abhilash Tomy ke mentor aur manager Commander Dilip Donde. Donde bhartiya sailing ke pioneer maane jaate hai. Jis saralta se wo apni kahani bata rahe the, aisa lag raha tha ki sab kuch … yun hi ho gaya. Par sabse mushkil kaamon ko yun hi kar dena hi mahan logon ki nishaani hoti hai.

Commander Donde ne 2018 ki iss TEDx talk mein kuch isi lehze mein apni kahaani duniya ko sunaai.

Dilip Donde
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJGJEvmie3M
(01:39) I did not know people sailed solo around the world … absolutely obsessed with it (01:58)
(01:59) What is the big deal about circumnavigation? … to rescue you (02:56)

Captain Donde ko pata bhi nahi tha ki log solo circumnavigation karne jaate hai. Ek retired admiral kaafi saalon se solo circumnavigation ki shuruat karne ke liye Bhartiya Sena ke peeche pade the. Aur aakhir mein jab Captain Donde ko iske baare mein bataya gaya toh unhein bhi iska junoon chadhne laga.

Solo Circumnavigation ya circumnavigation mein aisa kya hai jisse sab iski taraf aakarshit hote hai? Circumnavigation ka matlab hota hai apni naav mein puri duniya ka chakkar kaatna. Aap hazaron nautical miles ka safar karke, duniye ke kayi taton se hote hue wapas apne desh laut aate hai toh use circumnavigation hi kehte hai. Par kyuki aap samandar ke tat se koson door hote hai aur kisi kaaranwash agar koi durghatna ghat jaati hai toh aapko bachane na toh helicopter aa sakta hai aur na hi koi plane. Sirf ek jahaz aa sakti hai aur usko bhi aap tak pahunchne ke liye kam se kam ek hafta lag jaayega. Isiliye solo circumnavigation kaafi jokhim bhara bhi hai.

Circumnavigation yaani naav mein poori duniya ki jalyatra, ka namumkin sapna kayi nau sena afsaron ne dekha, par isko hakeekat mein badalne ki shuruat hui kahan se? Kahin se toh hoti hogi? Chaliye pata karte hai.

Dilip Donde
(03:23) Right from the beginning of the project … in the first 6 years of her life (04:12)
(05:02) One month after building the boat and 3 years into the project .. first time in my life, sailed alone across an ocean. (05:29)

Captain Donde ko shuru se hi pata tha ki agar woh iss project mein safal hona chahte hai toh unhein ek acchi aur mazboot naav chahiye hogi. Aur iss naav ko banane ke liye unhone Goa ke Ratnakar Dandekar ko chuna. Par ek dikkat thi. Na toh Dandekar ne kabhi naav chalayi thi aur na hi Captain Donde ne kabhi naav ko bante hue dekha tha. Par donon ne ek doosre par bharosa rakha aur shayad isiliye unki pehli naav Mhadei ne 6 saal mein 100,000 nautical miles ka safar tay kiya.

Ye project milne ke lagbhag 3 saal baad Captain Donde ki naav taiyyar ho gayi thi. Aur naav banne ke ek maheene baad hi Captain Donde ne bhartiya nau sena se ek guzarish ki, wo circumnavigate karne ke liye apne saath ek assistant le jaana chahte the. Unhone Abhilash Tomy ko apna assistant chuna. Aur fir kya tha, dono nikal pade puri duniya ko naapne. Lautte waqt, Captain Donde ne Abhilash Tomy ko Mauritus mein utaar kar Goa tak ki sailing akele ki. Aur ye karke wo samandar mein akele sailing karne wale bharat ke pehle sailor ban gaye.

Jald hi Commander Donde apni yacht se prithvi ka chakkar lagane waale, ya circumnavigate karne wale pehle bhaartiya ban gaye, aur ye kar ke unhone sailors ki aani waali peedhiyon mein ek nayi oorja bhar di.

2013 mein, Commander Tomy ne unhi ke nakshe kadam par chalte chalte ek aur record tod diya, bina ruke circumnavigating ka. Aur uske thik 5 saal baad, 2018 mein, Tomy ko Golden Globe Race mein bhaag lene ke liye aamantrit kiya gaya.

Race ki shuruvaat France se hui, 84 din aur 20,000 km paar karne ke baad, Hind mahasagar ka ek bhayanak toofan unki yacht se takra gaya. Tomy apne baad ke interviews mein uss din ka varnan karte hue bole, “It was a confused sea”.

Cdr. Tomy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11J8pPHZ8R0 – (03:27 – 05:543)

Toofan ne Tomy ki naav ko ulat diya tha, jiske wajah se unki naav ka MAST (English Word) toot gaya tha, galley nikal gayi thi, gas leak ho rahi thi aur diesel tank ke tootne ke kaaran, diesel bhi behne laga tha.

Poori ki poori naav ast-vyast ho gayi thi. Unhone jaise taise kar ke naav ki safai ki, aur fir khud toofan jhelne bahar chale gaye. Tomy ne socha ki agar wo khud naav ko chalayege toh shayad use kaabu mein kiya ja sakta hai par tabhi ek doosra knock down hua.

Aur iss baar unki naav paani ke saath nabbe degree ka angle bana kar seedhi khadi ho gayi, aur MAST paani ke andar hi vilupt ho gaya. Tomy badi mushkil se MAST ke aakhiri hisse tak pahunche, usse seedha karne ke liye. Par unke pahunchte hi naav ek baar fir se ulat gayi, jiske kaaran Tomy uss MAST ke upar hi latak gaye.

Uss steel ki rope par shayad unka haath atak gaya tha ya unki ghadi, Tomy ko theek se yaad nahin, par MAST pe latakte hue jo khayal Tomy ke dimaag mein daud rahe the woh unhein aaj bhi yaad hai.

Wo soch rahe the ki kya do maheene baad unka shav isi awastha mein milega, ya unhein koi dhoond bhi paayega ya nahi. Aur tabhi unke haath ki ghadi ka strap toot gaya aur Tomy 30 (tees) feet ki unchai se peeth ke bal aluminium ke 3 metre lambe fatte par ja gire.

Aadhe ghante baad, jab Tomy apne paeron par khade hone mein asafal hue, tab unhein ehsaas hua ki unke paer ab unka saath nahi de rahe hai.

Tab se agle teen din tak wo naav mein sirf baithe rahe.

Cdr. Tomy
(from 7.40 – 9.40): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11J8pPHZ8R0
(07:40) –Today when I look back, I know it was 72 hours .. when rescue was going to come. (07:48)
(08:11) — I had a lot of physical issues, I didn’t know that my spine had broken .. I needed help (08:29)
(08:29) — I knew that … when rescue came, whenever it came — (09:26)
(09:27) — What the Navy has taught me … lose the will to survive — (09:40)

Wo 72 ghante bahut kathin the, par apne mazakiye andaaz mein wo kehte hai ki unhein inn teen din bas apne bunker mein bina kuch kare sirf baithe hi rehna tha. Ismein kaisi kathinayi!

Commander Tomy ne yacht ke bunker tak pahunchne mein apni saari taakat laga di, taaki iss race ke ayojakon ko wo SOS message kar sakein. Unhone uss message mein likha ki unki haalat kharab hai, wo uth nahi pa rahein hai, aur yacht ka MAST bhi toot gaya hai.

Iss message ke baad unhein ye toh vishwas tha ki madad bhejne ka kaam shuru ho gaya hai par wo madad unn tak kab pahunchegi iska andaza unhein bhi nahin tha.

Tomy ki haalat kharab hoti ja rahi thi aur isi beech unhein lagatar hichkiyaan bhi aane lagi. Hichki ko rokne ke liye Tomy ulti karne lage. Wo ulti karte, aadha ghanta sote, uthne ke baad fir hichki aati, fir ulti karte, fir sote. Ye prakriya unhone teen chaar baar ki par pet mein kuch na hone ke kaaran wo kuch der baad ulti bhi nahi kar pa rahe the.

Aise haalaton mein kisi bhi insaan ko maut dikhne lagti hai par Tomy batate hai ki marta wahi hai jo ladna chhod deta hai. Aur jab tak raahat nahi aayi tab tak Tomy laddte rahe.

72 ghante lage Tomy tak madad pahunchne mein, aur inn 72 ghanton mein Tomy ne apni himmat nahi haari aur shayad isiliye unka naam Nau Sena ke mahantam afsaron mein gina jaata hai.

Scene change again — we go back to Capt. Alok Ananda.

Capt. Alok Ananda
Jis din mujhe yeh directive mila ki mujhe mission ke liye jaana hai, main uske paanch das din pehle se apni ship ke sath, apni base post par nikla hua tha .. aur hum indian ocean mein, hind maha sagar mein — involved they.. hazaron meel door they bharat ki sarjani se.. us beech mujhey yeh info prapt huyi ki abhilash tomy has met with an accident aur usko rescue karna hai.

Jaise hi Commander Tomy ne distress signal bheja, ek code red issue kar diya gaya. Dakshini Australia ke paas chal rahi sabhi naav Commander Tomy ke rescue mission mein nikal padi thi.

Bhaarat se bhi ek rescue mission taiyyar kiya gaya: Mission Raksham, aur Mission Raksham ki zimmedari saunpi gayi Captain Alok Anand ko, jo uss time INS Satpura ke Commanding Officer the.

Capt. Alok Ananda
Jis din mujhe yeh directive mila ki mujhe mission ke liye jaana hai, main uske paanch das din pehle se apni ship ke sath, apni base post par nikla hua tha .. aur hum indian ocean mein, hind maha sagar mein — involved they.. hazaron meel door they bharat ki sarjani se.. us beech mujhey yeh info prapt huyi ki abhilash tomy has met with an accident aur usko rescue karna hai.

Capt. Anand ko nirdesh miley, ki jis operation mein wo they, ussey chordh kar commander Tomy ke rescue mission ko ahemiyat di jaaye.

Captain Alok
Toh humnein us jagah ko geographically locate kiya ki yeh kahan hai. Jahan hum they, yeh hazaaron meel aagey tha. Uske baad…kyunki humein pata tha ki wahan jaana hai, poori raat humnein planning karne mein guzari. Aur tatkal hi, without any delay hum us mission ke liye nikal padein.

Hum unse hazaaron meel door they. Abhilash us haalath mein nahi they ki kisi se baat kar sakey, lekin unke haath mein ek instrument tha jo unki ship ki position de rahi thi.

Yeh bahut zaroori tha ki Capt. Anand jald se jald Commander Tomy ke paas pahunchein, kyunki unki haalat kisi bhi samay aur bigad sakti thi.

Capt. Anand
Mere dimag mein sabse bada prashan jo us samay uth raha tha who yeh hi tha ki abhilash kis haalat mein hai. Haalan ki hum chal diye they unki taraf, lekin koi clarity nahi thi ki unki physical state kya hai

Ek taraf Capt Anand ke man mein yeh khayal tha ki rescue mission ko lekar weh jald se jald Tomy ke paas pahunchein. Lekin doosri taraf, yeh mission aasan nahi tha, samudr mein honey ke karan, iss mission mein, kayin chunautiyaan thi.

Capt. Anand
Humein jis jagah tommy ko lane ke liye jaana tha, . (Delete the words in the middle) wo kisi normal sea route mein nahin padta hai. Usko actually duniya ka one of the remotest corner bolte hain. . (Delete the words in the middle) wo kisi bhi regular shipping lane mein nahi hai.

Sirf professional expeditioners is route par jaatey hain kyunki unehin poori duniya ka chakkar lagana hota hai.

Capt. Anand
Colloquial terms mein us jagah ko jaana jaata hai usey boltey hain ‘furious 40’. 40 degrees south latitude ke paas hai wo jagah. Agar hum bharat ke sabse dakshin ke kono, let us say Kanyakumari se ek seedhi line Antarctica ki taraf kheenchay, toh kareeb kareeb 7000 km ke aaspas wo point tha jahan pe tomy ki boat thi.

Sabse nazdeeki jagah jahna Tomy ko le jaaya ja sakta tha, woh French territory ka ek bahut hi chota sa volcanic island hai, jiska naam hai Isle’ Amsterdam, aur yahan sirf researchers aur scientists jaatey hain, woh bhi saal mein kuch hi mahinon ke liye.

Captain Alok
Wahan ke mausam ke halat bahut Kharab they, sea conditions bahut hostile thi. Jahaz ki apni gati hoti hai. Aur itni door jaane ke liye, teil ki beech mein zaroorat thi , uske liye ek particular ship ko aana tha raste mein (Delete the words in the middle) aur phir main ussey teil leta. Mujhe uski bhi dhyan rakhna tha ki meri sustenance kitni hai. Kyunki main jitna tez bhaagoonga, utna zyada aur teil kharch hoga ka. Teil dene wala jhaz mujh tak pahunch payega ya nahi.

INS Satpura ka wazan 6000 tonne tha aur kisi bhi emergency se ladne ke liye wo puri tarah saksham thi. Chand ghanton mein hi, Captain Anand ko iss paristhithi ke baare mein bata diya gaya tha aur wo apne agle adesh ka intezaar kar rahe the.

Aane wale kuch din Capt. Alok ke liye bahut hi mushkil honey wale they. Ek taraf wo Commander Tomy ko rescue karne ke liye nikal gaye they, jahan wo jald se jald pahunchna chahtey they aur doosri taraf, iss rescue mission ke shuru hotey hi, unko ek phone call aaya aur shayad iss call ke liye Captain Alok taiyaar nahin they.

Capt. Alok Anand
Jab mujhe yeh information mili ki mujhe tomy ko lene jaana hai, agle din shaam mein mujhe ek phone aaya . aur mujhe wo phone directly nahi aaya, humare jo communication room hota hai. Maritime operations mein aaya . aap apne ghar mein kisi se immediately contact karein. (Delete the words in the middle) jaise hi mujhe yeh call mila, mujhe samajh mein aagya . phir maine humara jo normal channel of communication hota hai, ussey maine apni wife ko call kiya. Moment she heard my voice, she told me papa is no more. Uske baad main wapaas control room mein chala gya.
29:00 — I was kind of numb (Delete the words in the middle) I just couldn’t figure out how it had happened. Main apne ma baap ka iklauta beta hoon. Aur main yeh question poochta tha apne aap se ki … (inaudible hence Delete the words in the middle) .ek taraf mujhe jaan bachane jaana hai aur ek taraf kuch duties hain meri .

Jab Captain Alok ko ye adesh mila ki unhein Tomy ko rescue jaana hai toh wo puri tarah se taiyyar the.

Fir agle din shaam ko INS Satpura ke communication room mein ek phone call aata hai aur Captain Alok ko suchit kiya jaata hai ki wo turant hi apne ghar mein kisi se sampark karein. Captain Alok apni patni ko phone lagate hai aur wo unhein batati hai ki Captain Alok ke pitaji ka swargwaas ho gaya hai.

Ye khabar sunne ke baad Captain Alok kaafi der tak achambhit rahe. Unko vishwaas nahi ho raha tha ki unke pitaji ab iss duniya mein nahin hai. Ek taraf Tomy ki jaan bachane ka farz tha aur doosri taraf apne pitaji ki aakhiri yaatra mein maujood rehne ki iccha. Captain Alok ek ajeeb duvidha mein the.

Capt. Alok Anand
Jahaz par sabko pata chal gya tha. Agle din main subah wahin baitha hua tha. Poori raat main baitha rha. Agle din mere kuch officers mere paas aaye, that is the time when I realised that I ought to let out that emotion which I am carrying some where, I came to my room and cried out aloud.

Par Captain Alok ke mann mein koi sandeh nahi tha. Unhone iss rescue mission ko poora karne ka faisla kar liya tha. Jahaaz Tomy ki taraf teevra gati se badh raha tha.

Poore jahaz par ye khabar fail chuki thi. Poori raat captain Alok apne control room mein baithe rahe. Agle din kuch afsar Captain Alok ke paas aaye aur santvana dene lage. Shayad tab unhein ye ehsaas hua ki wo ye dukh apne andar daba kar nahin rakh sakte. Wo wahan se uth kar apne kamre mein gaye aur pehli baar roye.

Yahan Captain Alok apne jazbaaton ko kaabu kar rahe the aur waha Abhilash ki haalat har minute bad se badtar hoti jaa rahi thi. Abhilash ke chaaron taraf cyclone ka taandav apne charam pe tha, aur jo satellite unko ko hamari duniya se jod rahi thi, uss satellite se bhi hamara connection toot chuka tha.

Haalaat jitne kharab ho sakte the, utne kharab hue. Satellite se connection toot jaane ke kaaran Abhilash ki naav ko koi trace nahin kar paa raha tha. Australia aur India se hawai jahaaz bhi bheje gaye, taaki wo Abhilash ki naav ko upar se dekh sakein, par unki ye koshish bhi asafal rahi. Ek din baad bhi Thuriya ka kahin naamo nishaan nahin tha.

Jaisa humein Captain Alok ne bataya, ye rescue mission unke liye bhi kisi pareeksha se kam nahin tha. Ma ya baap ko khone ka dukh kuch hadd tak hum samajh sakte hai, par jab aap uss mushkil ghadi mein apne ghar se meelon door samandar ke beech kisi aur mission par hai, iska dukh shayad hi hum mein se koi samajh paayein. Par iss waqt Alok kya kar sakte the?

Capt. Alok Anand
Meri jagah koi aur naval officer hota toh woh yehi decision leta. Aisa tha ki jab main nikla tha Vishakhapattnam se, jahaz leke, obviously unki condition achchi nahi thi but he told me that “you go ahead, I’ll wait for you”. Aur kuch aisa chakravyu chala ki main ek aur mission par chala gaya aur phir ek aur mission par chala gya aur main unse baat nahi kar paya.

Captain Alok ki jagah agar nau sena ka koi bhi aur afsar hota toh wo bhi shayad yahi karta. Captain Alok jab Vishakhapattnam se jahaz lekar nikle the, unke pitaji ki stithi tab bhi acchi nahi thi. Par unhone Alok se kaha tha ki tum jaao, main tumhara intezaar karunga.

Zindagi bhi kabhi kabhi kathin pareekshaayein leti hai. Capt. Alok ko kya pata tha ki uss din wo apne pitaji se aakhiri baar mil rahein hai. Uss mulakat ke baad haalaat kuch aise hue ki Captain Alok ko ek ke baad ek kayi missions par bheja gaya. Shayad unke pitaji itna intezaar nahin kar paaye.

Samandar ke beech chal rahi INS Satpura se Muzzafarpur, pahunchne mein kaafi ghante lagte hai. Captain Alok jaante the ki agar wo apne pitaji ko aakhiri baar dekhna chahte the toh unhein usi waqt wahaan se nikalna padta.

Par Captain Alok ne rukne ka faisla kiya tha, aur Tomy ko bachane mein lag gaye. Apne pitaji ke dehant ke bavjood, mission se na hatne ke faisle par Captain Alok ko aaj tak koi pachtava nahi hai.

Capt. Alok Anand
No, Never. Bees saal, ek lifetime hota hai. Navy ke jo core values hai – duty, honor, yeh, kahin aapke personality ka hissa ban jaatein hain. … Mere pitaji aaj jahan bhi hai, i’m sure he’s proud of me. This is what he would have wanted/ this is what he wanted from me. Yeh value system unhonein mujhe diya hai.

Thode intezaar ke baad INS Satpura ne rescue par bheje gaye Hawai jahaaz se Thuriya ki khabar suni. Tab tak ye ek multinational rescue operation bann chuka tha.

Abhilash Tomy ke samandar mein fasne ki khabar chaaron taraf fael gayi thi aur Bharitya nau sena ke alawa Australia aur France ki nau sena bhi iss rescue mission ka hissa ban chuki thi.

Uss samay, puri duniya Commander Tomy ko asthir awastha mein dekh rahi thi.

Cdr. Abhilash Tomy
(12.44 – 13.11) — You obviously think about your family .. he or she was born

24 September 2018 ko thik 12:30 baje Commander Abhilash Tomy ko Hind Mahasagar mein fasi Thuriya se nikaalkar bachaya gaya. Golden Globe Race ke ek aur pratiyogi, Ireland ke Gregor McGuckin, jo khud iss toofan mein apni dono sails kho chuke the, wo bhi Commander Tomy ki madad karne ke liye lagbhag pahunch hi gaye the.

Commander Tomy ko wahaan se bachakar Isle Amsterdam le jaaya gaya, jahan unka aur Gregor ka ilaaj hua. Yahin se Captain Alok, Abhilash Tomy ko INS Satpura mein Bharat lekar aaye.

Armed Forces ke logon mein kuch toh alag hai, unke andar aisa kuch toh hai jo kathin se kathin paristithiyon mein bhi unhein tootne nahi deta. Apni jaan ki parwah kiye bagair hamare jawan har uss mission mein lag jaate hain jo unhein diya jaata hai.

Captain Alok ne apne parivaar se upar apne desh ko, apni duty ko rakha; aur Abhilash ka Thuriya par puri duniya mein sail karna sirf ek saahasik kaam nahi tha, unehin ye pata tha ki Bharat mein unn se prerit hokar aise kayi aur sailor hoge jo shayad isse bhi badi badi chunautiyon ka saamna kar bharat ka sar garv uncha se karenge.

Capt. Alok Anand
Yeah yea, abhi kuch dino pehle me Goa gaya tha to Tomy ko pata chala ki mai waha hu aur inspite of not being fully well, wo gaadi chala kar khud mil se milne aaye, ek shahr se dusre shar se aur unhone apni kitaab jo unhone likhi hai, 151 days, uski copy present ki. Aur wo hi hota hai ki jabhi me Tomy se milta hu, to ham dono ek dosre ko dekh ke ek alag hi bonding hoti hai ki, ye konsa rishta hai hamare beech? Ye ham kehte hai, destiny bought us together. Hum dono ki kahani ek doosre se mil gayi. But yes I’m sure that Tomy is not going to stay xx/put? for very long, he’s a very restless soul, and he’s already preparing for his next adventure. And I wish him all the best. Next time, I have told Tomy that whatever you are planning to keep me informed, so i don’t know in what capacity, what role I will again get to support him.

Cdr. Abhilash Tomy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11J8pPHZ8R0
(14:05) — Tomy – I’m trying to get back to that same race in 2022 .. Unfinished Business — (14:25)

Kuch hi din pehle Captain Alok Goa mein the aur jab Tomy ko ye baat pata chali toh wo fauran apni gaadi mein unse milne chale gaye. Tomy ne apni kitaab, 151 Days ki ek copy bhi unhein di.

Captain Alok aur Tomy ke beech ab ek atoot sa rishta ban gaya hai. Unhone Tomy se kaha ki agli baar wo kisi bhi aise mission par jaane ka sochein, toh pehle se unhein soochit kar dein, taaki wo Tomy ka sahyog karne ke liye poori tareeke se taiyaar ho.

Aur rahi baat Commander Abhilash Tomy ki, toh wo 2022 mein usi race mein fir se hissa lene ki taiyyariyon mein joote hai.

Saahas se bhari aisi kayi anginat kahaniyaan hain, aur unmein se kuch kahaniyaan aap tak pahunchaane ki ye hamari ek chhoti si koshish hai. Aasha karti hoon ki aapko ye podcast pasand aaya hoga. Milte hai agle hafte.

Jai Hind.