LADAKH, SEPT 16: Twenty NCC girl cadets from across the country successfully completed the challenging ‘Aparajita–Parang La 2026’ High Altitude Long Trek, traversing one of the most demanding high-altitude routes connecting Himachal Pradesh with Ladakh.
The flagship adventure expedition of the National Cadet Corps (NCC) was flagged-in at Karzok, Ladakh, on Wednesday by DG NCC Lt Gen Virendra Vats and Additional Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Dipti Mohil Chawla.
The cadets crossed the 5,578-metre-high Parang La Pass, trekking from Kibber in Himachal Pradesh to Karzok in Ladakh.
Over a period of 30 days, the expedition covered approximately 250 kilometres through rugged and inhospitable terrain, including glaciers, snowfields, river valleys and high-altitude passes.
The team comprised 20 carefully selected NCC girl cadets representing different parts of the country.
They were accompanied by NCC officers, instructors, medical personnel and other support staff throughout the expedition to ensure operational and medical preparedness in the challenging terrain.
The expedition was formally flagged off by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh from New Delhi on August 18, 2026, marking the beginning of the month-long adventure journey.
Addressing the cadets after their successful arrival at Karzok, Lt Gen Virendra Vats congratulated the young trekkers and the accompanying staff for completing the arduous expedition.
He said such challenging adventure activities play an important role in developing leadership, self-confidence, teamwork, discipline and endurance among young people.
The ‘Aparajita–Parang La 2026’ expedition was organised with a focus on encouraging greater participation of young women in adventure activities and providing NCC cadets with firsthand exposure to extreme high-altitude conditions.
Beyond its adventure component, the trek also sought to promote national integration, bringing together young women cadets from different regions of the country and providing them an opportunity to undertake a demanding expedition as one cohesive team.
The successful completion of the trek at Karzok marks the culmination of a 30-day journey that tested the cadets’ physical endurance, teamwork and ability to operate in some of the country’s most challenging mountainous terrain.
