Navigating towards new horizons: Muktangan students at the MOL Synergy Training Centre
In our September 2023 edition of Fog Horn we referred to a school in Mumbai run by the Muktangan programme.
We might have added that this is Muktangan School Worli, a facility for an educationally under-resourced community that offers youngsters the chance to “learn and grow together”, and further that on 7 July 30 students from the 9th to 12th grade had the unique opportunity to visit the MOL Synergy Training Centre in Mumbai, an experience that most certainly left a lasting impression.
The day began with an introduction by Captain Aniruddha and Mr Chandrashekhar Bhole who outlined the promising outlook in the maritime industry.
With great enthusiasm, Captain Aniruddha then elaborated on the huge array of opportunities available to aspiring seafarers, from navigating the world’s oceans on cargo ships to sailing on luxurious cruise liners, and he further captivated the students with details on the competitive salaries and the potential for career growth. Characteristically insightful and candid, Captain Aniruddha went on to discuss the advantages and also the disadvantages of life on the waves, leaving nothing out in addressing both the allure of the sea and the challenges that sailors can encounter. It was a comprehensive review of maritime life that allowed the students to see the realities of seafaring.
But the highlight was the MOL Synergy Ship Simulator experience, an immersive encounter that fascinated the students and left them in awe. They all said that as they stepped into it they felt as though they had come on board a real ship and were facing the vastness of the open sea.
The simulator challenged the students with various maritime scenarios, testing their abilities and decision-making skills, just as real-life situations would, and afterwards Captain Aniruddha further elaborated on the processes for pursuing a career in the Merchant Navy after 12th grade.
The whole visit allowed the students to glimpse various aspects of the world of seafaring, brimming with opportunities and adventures, but the simulator brought them right into it. They left with a new-found appreciation of the maritime profession, and determined to consider further how they might later explore the limitless horizons of the high seas.
