Panaji, Aug 10 - The Indian Navy's solo round-the-world sailing mission kicks off Aug 19 with the state-of-the-art Indian Naval Sailing Vessel (INSV) Mhadei attempting to make history.

The yacht, manned by Commander Dilip Donde, Monday left its port of manufacture in Goa for Mumbai, from where it will set off on its 21,600 nautical mile journey.

Speaking to reporters at the Goa Shipyard Limited jetty Monday, from where the INSV Mhadei set sail, Vice Admiral (retd) M.P. Avati, who has been lobbying for the Rs.6.5 crore project, said it was being funded by the defence ministry, right from building the yacht from scratch to working out navigational details.

'When he comes back in April or May 2010, Commander Dilip Donde will become the first Indian to have circumnavigated the world single-handed. There have been several such attempts made by sailors from European nations though,' Avati added.

'Commander Donde will be sailing south of the three capes - namely Cape Australia, Cape Horn (South America) and the Cape of Good Hope (Africa). The INSV Mhadei will make brief halts along the way to replenish its supplies,' Avati said.