"If you have no competition or interest in anything, surviving in modern times—and in life itself—would be impossible." For Dilna, a native of Parambil Kadavu in Kozhikode, this lesson from her father, a military officer, shaped her journey.

During his father's vacations, Dilna would play cricket with him, and it was here that her dreams began to soar beyond boundaries. She went on to become a member of the Under-19 Indian Women’s Cricket Team. Later, she shifted focus to shooting, clinching national championships. But Dilna's ambitions didn't stop there. She eventually joined the Indian Navy

Ultimately, on January 29, Dilna, along with Lieutenant Commander Roopa from Puducherry,  reached Point Nemo, located at the farthest corner of the earth. The two raised a paper with their names written on it, marking their historic visit to this remote location.

In the Point Nemo region, the closest neighbor to human life are the astronauts in space. The Indian Navy officers’ journey to Point Nemo was part of a larger mission to circumnavigate the globe aboard a sailboat. The Indian Navy officially announced the crossing of Point Nemo by Dilna and Rupa on January 29.

Dilna's desire to do something different led her to the Navy. She always wanted to be ahead of everyone, and from a young age, she was known as the "Bullet Girl" in her town, as she would race on bullet motorcycles. 

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Dilna and Roopa

Despite facing rejection five times from the Army, Dilna did not give up. On her sixth attempt, she joined the Indian Navy. It was this resilience that led her to become one of the 17 women chosen to represent India’s strength in a global mission. She was selected alongside Lieutenant Commander Roopa to be part of the mission.

This mission, known as Navika Sagar Parikrama II, set sail from Goa on INS Tarini on October 2, 2024. Dilna, along with Roopa, will sail around the world, similar to Abhilash Tomy, who completed a solo circumnavigation of the globe earlier. Dilna will now join the ranks of those who’ve ventured to the farthest reaches of the world, representing Indian women’s strength.

Point Nemo: The Graveyard of Spacecraft

Point Nemo, located in the Pacific Ocean, is the farthest point from land and is known as the "graveyard of spacecraft." This area is where active spacecraft are sent to be decommissioned by countries. There are approximately 250 spacecraft remains in this location.

It is situated 1,600 miles (2,574.95 kilometers) away from the nearest land and is considered the most isolated place on Earth. The nearest human beings are usually astronauts aboard spacecraft, which are only 416 kilometers away. Point Nemo is where space travelers often pass, making it the closest "neighbour" to them.

In 2024, American explorer Chris Brown was the first to set foot at Point Nemo. It was discovered in 1992 by Croatian survey engineer Hrvoje Lukatela through computer-assisted studies.