Radhika
Menon has created history by becoming the first woman to become a
captain in the Indian Merchant Navy
Photo by Ch. Kodandaramaiah
On
October 27, last year, Captain Radhika Menon, of the 21,827 tonne
oil tanker, 'Suvarna Swarajya', was going through a spot of tension
at Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu. It was raining heavily and there were
winds of 60 kms per hour. The ship was buffeted from side to side.
“The big ship was behaving like a small toy,” says Radhika. It
was a time when it was difficult to keep one's balance. A few of the
crew members became sea-sick. All the items inside the cabins were
thrown about, and fell to the floor.
The
vessel dragged its anchor twice. “It had to be re-anchored,”
says Radhika. For two days they remained in this uncomfortable
situation. On October 29, the Meteorological Department
declared that the depression near the coast of Sri Lanka had
developed into a cyclone called Nilam and was approaching land
between Nellore and Nagapattinam. Radhika decided to move
away. Eventually, she went near Krishnapatnam, 496 kms away. “By
doing this I was able to avoid the direct impact of the cyclone,”
she says. Later, they returned to Nagapattinam, collected a shipment
of naptha, and sailed to Thirukkadaiyur
Port in
Tamil Nadu.
Asked
about her responsibilities, Radhika says, “I have to plan the
navigation routes and manoueuvre the ship in and out of the harbour.
I have to tackle all types of emergencies, like a sudden, unexpected
storm.” She also has to do all the paperwork and monitor all
departments and ensure that safety rules and regulations are
complied with. Radhika also oversees the training of the staff on
board and conducts emergency drills. “In short, I am overall in
charge of the ship,” she says.
Interestingly,
apart from Radhika, and one cadet, it is an all-male crew of 38.
“They know me well, and have no problems of taking orders from
me,” she says. “Do remember I have been with the Shipping
Corporation of India [SCI] for 22 years.” She did a one-and-a-half
year radio course at the All India Marine College in Kochi before
she became a radio officer in SCI, the first woman to do so in India
.
But
it has not been a smooth journey. “As compared to a male officer,
I am scrutinised much more,” she says. “I try to avoid making
mistakes. If I do make one, it will be talked about, and never
forgotten. My attitude is simple: if a hurdle has been placed in
front of you, then you have to clear it.”
But
there are many enjoyable aspects of the job. “I love the harbour
approaches, especially those at Vishakapatnam, where there are some
nice hills. In my hometown of Kochi , there are the Chinese nets,
apart from the island of Mattancherry , with its old houses and
beaches. It is so nice when you look at it from the sea.”
Radhika
also loves the weather. “There are beautiful sunrises and sunsets.
The best sight is star-filled nights. It is like looking at the night
sky inside a planetarium. I enjoy the unpolluted atmosphere.”
But
she watches the sea carefully. “It has so many different moods,”
says Radhika. “It can be unforgiving if you make a mistake.
Carelessness and complacency has led to disasters. The sea must
always be treated with respect.”
Meanwhile,
when asked about balancing a career with home, Radhika says, “When
my son, Bhavesh, was younger [he is 17 now], I would do short
stints,” she says. “The passenger ship I worked on operated
between Kochi and the Lakshadweep Islands .” But now Radhika works
for one year and then takes a full year off. Her husband, Praveen
Venugopal, works for a mobile firm in Kochi .
Her
advice to young girls who are planning to join the Merchant Navy is
clear. “She should not expect any special consideration just
because she is a girl,” says Radhika. “She should know her work
thoroughly, so that she can command the respect of others.”
(Sunday Magazine, The New Indian Express, South India and Delhi)
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