From Pink City to Blue Oceans: My Maritime Journey

Journey of my dreams in maritime industry- High Seas and Beyond

Growing up in Jaipur, famously known as the Pink City of India, my early years were painted with simple joys—school, friends, and family. Like many of my peers, I was focused on cracking engineering college entrance exams. While rigorously preparing for the IIT entrance, a spur-of-the-moment application to the Merchant Navy entrance set me on a completely unexpected path. Before I knew it, with my family’s encouragement, I was packing my bags for the Marine Engineering & Research Institute (MERI, formerly DMET).

Setting Sail: Navigating College Life and Breaking Stereotypes

My college years were unlike anything I’d anticipated. MERI operated as a paramilitary institute, immersing us in a lifestyle of strict discipline—scheduled assemblies and fall-ins, morning and evening physical drills, communal meals, nightly bed checks, and the ever-present uniform. With just three women among more than four hundred male students, the environment was challenging yet transformative. Those four years shaped my resilience, sharpened my skills, and forged lifelong connections with peers, seniors, professors, and instructors. The experience laid a strong foundation for my maritime journey ahead.

First Voyage and beyond: An Adventure Across Continents

In my final year, Chevron recruited me through a campus interview in 2002. My initiation into the world of shipping was nothing short of extraordinary—my first-ever flight, a helicopter transfer to a vessel in South Africa, and voyages spanning five continents. I found myself conducting cargo operations and exploring beautiful destinations like France, Portugal, Chile, Brazil, St. Eustatius, and the USA. 

I thoroughly enjoyed my time during sailing. Each sailing was a classroom, offering lessons in global trade, teamwork, and adaptability as I worked alongside multicultural crews. Sailing on tankers for several years, I gained invaluable insights into the maritime industry and learned to embrace the unknown.