Rajnath Singh flags off NCC girls’ 250-km Parang La high-altitude trek
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh flagged off NCC’s 30-day ‘Aparajita - Parang La 2026’ trek, with 28 girl cadets set to cross the 5,578-metre Parang La Pass.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh flags off the National Cadet Corps’ (NCC) All India Girls High Altitude Long Trek ‘Aparajita - Parang La 2026’ in New Delhi on Tuesday.
NEW DELHI: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday flagged off the National Cadet Corps’ (NCC) All India Girls High Altitude Long Trek ‘Aparajita – Parang La 2026’, with 28 girl cadets set to undertake a 250-km expedition across one of the Himalayas’ most challenging high-altitude routes.
The 30-day expedition will cross the 5,578-metre (18,300-feet) Parang La Pass, linking Himachal Pradesh’s Spiti Valley with the Changthang region of Ladakh. The route will take the cadets through high-altitude deserts, glaciers, snowfields and river valleys.
The expedition is being led by three women officers representing the Army, Navy and Air Force. The participating cadets have an average age of 19, with the youngest aged 16 and a half.
Flagging off the expedition in New Delhi, Singh described the participation of the young women in such a demanding trek as a testament to their courage, determination and growing capabilities.
He said adventure expeditions such as this help young people develop leadership qualities, mental resilience, discipline and self-confidence. The cadets, he said, would return with not only memorable experiences but also a deeper understanding of their own inner strength.
The expedition will cover a route through Kibber, Dumla, Thaltak, Bongrojen, Parang La Pass, Dak Karzong, Norbu Sumdo, Kiangdom and Korzok.
Singh urged the cadets to make safety, environmental protection and respectful engagement with local communities their priorities during the expedition. He called for strict adherence to instructors’ guidance, avoidance of unnecessary risks and adoption of a zero-waste approach to protect the fragile Himalayan ecosystem.
He also encouraged the cadets to interact respectfully with local communities, understand their culture and traditions and learn from their experiences.
Highlighting the achievements of NCC cadets in adventure activities across land, water and air, Singh said the participation of girl cadets from different parts of the country reflected the spirit of ‘Nari Shakti’.
He also pointed to the participation of cadets from NCC Directorates across India as an example of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’, with young people from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds coming together for a common mission.
The expedition is being conducted in two phases. A preparatory and acclimatisation trek was first undertaken in the Bhaba-Pin Valley sector, after which the final team of girl cadets was selected on merit.
The expedition has been conceptualised to promote women’s empowerment, leadership, self-confidence, teamwork, endurance and national integration among NCC girl cadets.
NCC Director General Lieutenant General Virendra Vats and senior officials of the NCC and Ministry of Defence were present at the flag-off ceremony.
