NE DEFENCE BUREAU
NEW DELHI, AUG 18
At 5,578 metres above sea level, the Parang La Pass offers no easy victory. Its freezing winds, glaciers, snowfields, river valleys and thin mountain air can test even seasoned adventurers. Yet, for 28 NCC girl cadets, the daunting Himalayan landscape is not a barrier—it is the next challenge to be conquered.
With the battle cry ‘Aparajita’—the undefeated, the young women are embarking on a thrilling 250-km, 30-day high-altitude trek, transforming an extreme adventure into a powerful statement of Nari Shakti, courage and youthful determination.
- Defence Minister’s pep talk fires up NCC’s girl cadets for 250-km Himalayan test of courage and endurance
- Three women officers from Army, Navy and Air Force to lead 28 cadets across one of India’s toughest high-altitude routes
- From 16½-year-old youngest trekker to a 5,578-metre mountain pass, ‘Aparajita’ puts Nari Shakti at the Himalayan frontier
- 30 days, 250 km, glaciers and snowfields: NCC girls prepare to turn extreme terrain into a lesson in leadership
- Rajnath Singh urges cadets to conquer not just Parang La but every challenge in life
Defence Minister 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), in New Delhi on Tuesday.
The expedition will traverse the 5,578-metre (18,300-feet) Parang La Pass, connecting Himachal Pradesh’s Spiti Valley with the Changthang region of Ladakh—one of India’s most challenging high-altitude trekking routes.
Three women officers lead the Himalayan charge
The expedition is being led by three women officers representing the Army, Navy and Air Force, with 28 girl cadets forming the core of the team. Their average age is just 19, while the youngest participant is a remarkable 16½ years old.
For the cadets, the expedition is more than an endurance test. It is an opportunity to discover how far courage, discipline and teamwork can take them when confronted with some of the most unforgiving terrain in the country.
The expedition team, accompanied by officers, medical personnel, instructors and support staff, will negotiate approximately 250 km over 30 days, crossing high-altitude deserts, glaciers, snowfields and river valleys.
The route will take the team through Kibber, Dumla, Thaltak, Bongrojen, Parang La Pass, Dak Karzong, Norbu Sumdo, Kiangdom and Korzok.
‘Aparajita’ is the spirit, not merely a name
Addressing the cadets, Rajnath Singh described their participation in the demanding expedition as a powerful testimony to the courage, determination and growing capabilities of the women of India.
Extending his best wishes for a safe and successful expedition, he said such adventures play a vital role in developing leadership, mental resilience, discipline and self-confidence among young people.
He commended the cadets for their rigorous physical and mental preparation and underlined that the expedition would offer lessons extending far beyond the mountains.
“The cadets would return from Parang La with not only memorable experiences but also a deeper understanding of their own inner strength,” he said.
Defence Minister’s pep talk: conquer the mountain, protect the mountain
Rajnath Singh also gave the young trekkers a three-point mission—safety, environmental protection and respect for local communities.
“Strictly follow the guidance of instructors, avoid unnecessary risks, and adopt a zero-waste approach to protect the Himalayan ecology,” he told them.
Urging the cadets to engage with communities along the route, he said, “Engage respectfully with local communities, understand their culture & traditions, and learn from their experiences.”
The Defence Minister then gave the expedition its most stirring message: “The expedition would become a defining milestone in your lives and inspire you to remain ‘Aparajita’ at every stage of life.”
From land to water to air, NCC’s girls lead from the front
Highlighting the growing achievements of NCC cadets in adventure activities across land, water and air, Rajnath Singh praised the girl cadets for embodying the spirit of Nari Shakti by leading from the front.
The participation of cadets drawn from NCC Directorates across the country, he noted, also carries a larger national message. Their different languages, cultures and backgrounds converge around a single mission, reflecting the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’.
The expedition is being conducted in two phases. A preparatory and acclimatisation trek was first undertaken in the Bhaba-Pin Valley sector, following which the final contingent was selected on merit.
Conceptualised to promote Nari Shakti, leadership, self-confidence, teamwork, endurance and national integration, ‘Aparajita – Parang La 2026’ promises to be as much a journey within as it is a journey across the Himalayas.
Director General, NCC, Lieutenant General Virendra Vats, along with senior officials of the NCC and Ministry of Defence, was present at the flag-off ceremony.
