From topping the NDA and earning the Sword of Honour to surviving a hang-gliding crash and losing a leg — and then circumnavigating the globe on Trishna of India — Major A.K. Singh’s story is a masterclass in grit. He takes us from RIMC schooldays and the National Defence Academy to early ocean passages (Bombay–Iran in an 18-ft Seabird), selecting a blue-water yacht in the UK, hand-steering through Bay of Biscay, Mediterranean and Red Sea storms, and navigating by sextant. We dig into his memoir Beyond Horizons (foreword by Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma), what awards like the Kirti Chakra really mean, and his straight-talk for young Indians dreaming of the Army or blue-water sailing: preparation, seamanship, and humility.

Chapters:

00:00 — 

01:21 — Early life: RIMC → NDA → IMA, discipline & bonds for life

05:22 — Seeking adventure: Youth Olympics, Bombay–Karachi–Bandar Abbas sail

13:45 — The accident, amputation, and rebuilding identity through sailing

19:08 — Why write Beyond Horizons; telling the story honestly

22:04 — Choosing the yacht, training in the UK, first big storms

26:05 — Crafting difficult chapters; inside the “army mind”

32:21 — Foreword by Wing Cdr Rakesh Sharma: how it came together

35:05 — Kirti Chakra & National Adventure Award: what recognition changes

37:11 — Advice to youth: nationalism, service, and an adventurer’s mindset

40:51 — Rapid fire: water at sea, humility, and gold vs. fresh water

44:05 — Closing & where to connect

Connect with Us

Mohua Chinappa: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohua-chinappa/

The Literature Lounge: https://www.themohuashow.com/the-literature-lounge/

Reference Links: 

Beyond Horizons, Trishna, Kirti Chakra

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