Iconic 'Rainbow Warrior' to arrive in India on October 26

NEW DELHI: Having travelled across the world to campaign for environment protection over the last four decades, the iconic Rainbow Warrior is all set for its maiden India tour.
Made under the technological support and watch of NGO Greenpeace International, the ship will arrive on the shores of Mumbai on October 26.
"The objective of Rainbow Warrior is to provide technological support in preventing environmental pollution in oceans and rivers," Greenpeace India media in-charge Jitendra Kumar said.
He said special arrangements have been made for the ship's four-day India tour. Prominent people from the fields of environment, entertainment and communication will visit the ship and be apprised about her capabilities in tackling illegal hunting of marine animals to effects of nuclear tests, Kumar said.
He said the ship's India tour is aimed at sharing expertise in preventing the exploitation of marine resources and strengthening public support in its monitoring system.
He said during the Rainbow Warrior's visit, symposiums will also be organised and public participation will be ensured through programmes related to films, photography and arts.
Social activist Tushar Gandhi, filmmaker Shyam Benegal, photographer Raghu Rai, Ad guru Prahlad Kakkar, actors Waheeda Rahman, Nandita Das, Ali Fazal, among others are scheduled to visit the ship, Kumar said.
Also, leading documentary filmmaker Anand Patwardhan will tour the ship and hold deliberations with her crew on the use of short films to highlight environment conservation and prevent destruction of the habitat of aquatic animals, he said.
The present one is the third generation of the Rainbow Warrior, which is equipped with satellite-based communication system, and has been working towards environment protection for the last 40 years.
A paramotor flies over the Geenpeace's Rainbow Warrior ship during a regional campaign to raise awareness on the use of solar energy, on the coast of Jounieh, Lebanon (Reuters file photo)
The original Rainbow Warrior started life as the 'Sir William Hardy' -- a fishery research trawler used by the UK Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. It was built in 1955, and was the first diesel electric ship built in the United Kingdom.
On April 29, 1978, as the Rainbow Warrior steamed proudly from the London docks, the Greenpeace and United Nations flags flew together to reflect not only the international composition of the 24-member crew from 10 countries, but global concern for the plight of the whales.
Her first mission was to Iceland, to oppose the commercial whaling programme there, according to the information on the Greenpeace website.
The original Rainbow Warrior got destroyed in 1985. It was replaced by the Rainbow Warrior - II which continued services till 2011 when its technologically advanced successor --the present ship -- replaced it.