NCC TN, P & AN Directorate crest
NCC whaler under sail in the Bay of Bengal, crewed by cadets in life jackets

Project Swarnum

NCC TN,P & AN Directorate Sailing Expedition

800+ Kilometres
100 Cadets
5 Ports
20 Whalers

The Voyage in Pictures

Five ports · 800 kilometres · one coastline

Project SWARNUM Puducherry leg — Ocean Sailing Expedition 2026
Project SWARNUM Puducherry leg — Ocean Sailing Expedition 2026
Project SWARNUM Puducherry leg — Ocean Sailing Expedition 2026
Project SWARNUM Puducherry leg — Ocean Sailing Expedition 2026
Project SWARNUM Kanyakumari leg — Ocean Sailing Expedition 2026
Project SWARNUM Kanyakumari leg — Ocean Sailing Expedition 2026
Project SWARNUM Kanyakumari leg — Ocean Sailing Expedition 2026
Project SWARNUM Kanyakumari leg — Ocean Sailing Expedition 2026
Project SWARNUM Thoothukudi leg — Ocean Sailing Expedition 2026
Project SWARNUM Thoothukudi leg — Ocean Sailing Expedition 2026
Project SWARNUM Rameshwaram leg — Ocean Sailing Expedition 2026
Project SWARNUM Rameshwaram leg — Ocean Sailing Expedition 2026
Project SWARNUM Chennai leg — Ocean Sailing Expedition 2026
Project SWARNUM Chennai leg — Ocean Sailing Expedition 2026
Project SWARNUM Chennai leg — Ocean Sailing Expedition 2026
Project SWARNUM Chennai leg — Ocean Sailing Expedition 2026

Spirit of the Expedition

Cadets of the NCC TN, Puducherry & Andaman and Nicobar Directorate sail the Bay of Bengal — forging discipline, courage, and camaraderie on the open water.

“To develop character, comradeship, discipline, a secular outlook, the spirit of adventure, and ideals of selfless service amongst young citizens”
— The Aim of the National Cadet Corps

What is Swarnum?

Each letter charts a pillar of India's maritime vision

Reviving the seafaring legacy of the Tamil mariners who once sailed and traded across the Indian Ocean — reconnecting cadets with India's ancient maritime heritage.

Visit to Porunai Museum

Cadets at the Porunai Museum beside a traditional sailing-ship model Contingent with the SWARNUM banner outside Porunai Museum

Sailing across iconic locations

NCC whalers under sail on the open sea Naval Unit NCC whaler sailing off the Tamil Nadu coast

Exploring modern ports, coastal technology and the sustainable Blue Economy — while giving back to the shoreline through community and environmental action.

Cleanship drives at beaches

Students and cadets at a beach clean-up drive with collected waste Volunteers clearing litter along the shoreline

World Ocean Day celebrations

Celebrating World Yoga Day

Promoting responsible fisheries and coastal ecology — safeguarding the marine ecosystems that sustain our shores for generations to come.

Mangrove forest plantation drive — World Mangrove Day

World Mangrove Day plantation drive with cadets and the SWARNUM banner

Tracing the living link between India's rivers and the sea — the cultural corridors that carried people, trade and tradition from the hinterland to the coast.

Sailing at Dhanushkodi

Sailing across the Gadilam river at Cuddalore

Building practical seamanship and sailing skills while honouring the discipline and naval heritage of the sea services.

Porunai Museum visit at Tirunelveli

Cadets at the Porunai Museum beside a traditional sailing-ship model

Sailing skills

NCC whalers under sail on the open sea Naval Unit NCC whaler sailing off the Tamil Nadu coast

Discovering submerged heritage and the science of marine exploration — carrying the story of the sea beneath the waves.

Visit to Mahabalipuram

Preserving maritime memory through museums, research institutions and digital archives — the places that keep our ocean story alive.

Visit to Porunai Museum

Cadets at the Porunai Museum beside a traditional sailing-ship model Contingent with the SWARNUM banner outside Porunai Museum

Visit to Mahabalipuram

Visit to NIOT (National Institute of Ocean Technology)

Cadets at NIOT viewing the ocean observation and real-time information system Contingent with the SWARNUM banner at the NIOT Sagar Sangamam entrance Cadets and officers at the NIOT entrance

Visit to INS Parundu, Naval Air Base

Cadets with a Navy helicopter in the hangar at the Naval Air Base Cadets beside a naval helicopter with the pilot Naval officer briefing cadets in the helicopter hangar

Visit to the Vivekananda Memorial and Thiruvalluvar statue

Visit to Thoothukudi Port

Naval Unit NCC whaler sailing off Thoothukudi with the port in the background Contingent with the SWARNUM banner at the Thoothukudi lighthouse
Two NCC whalers sailing with Indian tricolours in open sea NCC cadets on whaler boat at sea during the Kanyakumari leg

Moments from the Coast

From the flag-off at Puducherry to the closing ceremony at Chennai

Project SWARNUM Puducherry leg — Ocean Sailing Expedition 2026
Project SWARNUM Kanyakumari leg — Ocean Sailing Expedition 2026
Project SWARNUM Chennai leg — Ocean Sailing Expedition 2026
Project SWARNUM Puducherry leg — Ocean Sailing Expedition 2026
Project SWARNUM Kanyakumari leg — Ocean Sailing Expedition 2026
Project SWARNUM Chennai leg — Ocean Sailing Expedition 2026
Project SWARNUM Puducherry leg — Ocean Sailing Expedition 2026
Project SWARNUM Kanyakumari leg — Ocean Sailing Expedition 2026
Project SWARNUM Chennai leg — Ocean Sailing Expedition 2026
Project SWARNUM Puducherry leg — Ocean Sailing Expedition 2026
Project SWARNUM Kanyakumari leg — Ocean Sailing Expedition 2026
Project SWARNUM Thoothukudi leg — Ocean Sailing Expedition 2026
Project SWARNUM Rameshwaram leg — Ocean Sailing Expedition 2026
Project SWARNUM Chennai leg — Ocean Sailing Expedition 2026
Project SWARNUM Puducherry leg — Ocean Sailing Expedition 2026
Project SWARNUM Kanyakumari leg — Ocean Sailing Expedition 2026

The Route

From the Gallery

Project SWARNUM Puducherry leg — Ocean Sailing Expedition 2026
Project SWARNUM Kanyakumari leg — Ocean Sailing Expedition 2026
Project SWARNUM Chennai leg — Ocean Sailing Expedition 2026
Project SWARNUM Puducherry leg — Ocean Sailing Expedition 2026
Project SWARNUM Kanyakumari leg — Ocean Sailing Expedition 2026
Project SWARNUM Chennai leg — Ocean Sailing Expedition 2026
Project SWARNUM Puducherry leg — Ocean Sailing Expedition 2026
Project SWARNUM Kanyakumari leg — Ocean Sailing Expedition 2026
Project SWARNUM Chennai leg — Ocean Sailing Expedition 2026
Project SWARNUM Puducherry leg — Ocean Sailing Expedition 2026
Project SWARNUM Kanyakumari leg — Ocean Sailing Expedition 2026
Project SWARNUM Chennai leg — Ocean Sailing Expedition 2026

Explore the Expedition

Dive deeper into the voyage — view the route, read media coverage, and hear from the cadets who sailed.