Indapur: Simran Thorat becomes first female ship deck officer in Merchant Navy from Pune village

The 25 year old has made a significant name as a navy officer in a traditionally male-dominated field.

16 April 2024

By Ishika Kumar

Simran Thorat, 25, hails from Indapur taluka village near Pune and has eminently etched herself in history as the first woman from her family, village and district to become a merchant navy officer, overcoming all financial, societal, and linguistic barriers in a field dominated by men.

Together with her brother, Simran is actively seeking to purchase farmland as a tribute to their parents’ sacrifices and tremendous support, as they sold all their land to fund her education. Her journey began in Indapur — 150 km from Pune, where her parents, Brahamadev and Asha Thorat, backed her up on the unconventional career choice. This was despite them having no experience outside and never having travelled outside the periphery of their hometown, while facing significant financial challenges.

To afford the tuition for a three-year course at a Pune-based Maritime College and Navy Training Institute, they sold their three-acre farm, where they grew maize, wheat and sugarcane. With no land left after, her father started working as an electrician while her mother, who was very active in the field, took up a job at the Ferrero Rocher chocolate factory located in Indapur.

Simran faced several educational challenges transitioning from a Marathi-medium education to coursework entirely in English. Her ambition was also met with scepticism from extended family and friends concerned about the maritime job. However, her father’s resolve towards helping her sail into the waters and support from her brother Shubham — who has himself been a third engineer in a Japanese shipping company — helped conquer all doubts.

Her determination was rewarded when Seaspan, one of the world’s leading independent container ship management companies, that had previously never hired women on their ships, hired Simran as their first woman deck cadet. This was despite initial rejections during placements in companies due to her lack of fluency in English. Since her first voyage to Singapore in 2019, Simran has not only adjusted to life at sea but has excelled at it, including in managing rigorous tasks and handling rough seas with grit.

Now preparing to join her fourth ship as a third officer, Simran is unbothered by the threats of piracy or conflict, trusting in her emergency training. As she continues to advance in her career, she remains committed to securing a piece of farmland with her brother, for her parents.