New Delhi: Commander Abhilash Tomy, who set a record as the first Indian to complete a solo and non-stop circumnavigation of the globe in a yacht, has retired from the Indian Navy.

"My aim is to prepare for other voyages, including the prestigious Golden Globe Race," Abhilash Tomy, 41, said on Monday whole announcing his abrupt decision.

"Added a final suffix with the noon gun today. Retired. Much gratitude to everyone who voyaged along," he tweeted on Monday.

Record-setter

A native of Kandanad in Kochi, Abhilash Tomy had undertaken the record-setting voyage named 'Sagar Parikrama 2' for the Indian Navy.

He began the solo expedition from the Gateway of India, Mumbai, on November 1, 2012. After sailing 42,871km through the Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean, and the Atlantic Ocean, he returned to the Gateway of India on the 151st day.

For achieving this feat, Abhilash was chosen for the Kirti Chakra, the second-highest award for peacetime gallantry in the country, and the central government’s Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award.

During the Golden Globe Race in 2018, Abhilash had met with a serious accident in the Indian Ocean off Western Australia on the 82nd day of the race. He was at the third spot when he withdrew from the race as he was rescued mid-sea.

After completing his studies from the Naval Academy in Goa, Abhilash Tomy was commissioned into the Indian Navy on July 1, 2000. He completed 1300 flying hours as a pilot of the Naval aviation wing, before becoming part of the Navy's various sailing expeditions.

The next Golden Globe Race will start on September 4, 2022.