These halts will be at Freemantle (Australia), Christchurch (New Zealand), Port Stanley (Falklands Islands) and Cape Town (South Africa).

Speaking about the possible challenges that could confront Dhonde on his nearly year-long adventure, Avati said the seas in the southern hemisphere were very unstable and choppy, with waves rising to more than 30 to 40 feet.

'There is also the grave issue of icebergs from the Antarctica floating northwards in summer. They could be lethal if the boat comes in contact with one such chunk of ice,' he pointed out.

INSV Mhadei is 56 feet long with a set of six sails that can be used in different combinations for speeds of up to 10 knots.

According to Avati, this is the first time that a boat of such specifications and calibre has been built in the country.

'We had hired consultants from Holland to come up with an appropriate design and it took us about a year to fabricate the vessel from scratch,' he said.