 Early Times Report
LEH, Aug 18: Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh flagged-off the All-India Girls High Altitude Long Trek 'Aparajita - Parang La 2026', a flagship adventure activity of the National Cadet Corps (NCC), during an event in New Delhi on August 18, 2026. The trek will traverse the Parang La Pass (5,578 metres, 18,300 feet), connecting the Spiti Valley of Himachal Pradesh with the Changthang region of Ladakh and is regarded as one of the country's most challenging high-altitude trekking routes.
The team will be led by three women officers representing the three services. 28 Girl Cadets are participating in the expedition, with an average age of 19 years, the youngest participant being just 16 and a half years old. In his address, Raksha Mantri termed the participation of young girls in such a challenging high-altitude expedition as a powerful testament to the courage, determination and growing capabilities of the women of the country.
The expedition team, accompanied by officers, medical staff, instructors and support personnel, will undertake the approximately 250-km trek over 30 days through some of the most remote and challenging terrain in the Himalayas. The route of the expedition includes Kibber, Dumla, Thaltak, Bongrojen, Parang La Pass, Dak Karzong, Norbu Sumdo, Kiangdom and Korzok, traversing high-altitude deserts, glaciers, snowfields and river valleys.
Extending his best wishes to the team for a safe and successful trek, Shri Rajnath Singh stated that such expeditions play an important role in developing leadership qualities, mental resilience, discipline and self-confidence among the youth. He commended the selected cadets for their physical and mental preparation, emphasising that the trek would be a life lesson for them in resilience, confidence and self-discovery. "The cadets would return from Parang La with not only memorable experiences but also a deeper understanding of their own inner strength," he hoped. |
