NCC’s ‘Aparajita-Parang La 2026’ trek flagged off; 28 girl cadets to take on 5,578-metre Himalayan pass
New Delhi, Aug 18. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on August 18 flagged off the National Cadet Corps’ (NCC) all-India girls’ high-altitude trek, ‘Aparajita-Parang La 2026’, with 28 girl cadets set to embark on a 250-km expedition across some of the most challenging terrain in the Himalayas.
The expedition will cross the 5,578-metre (18,300-foot) Parang La Pass, linking Himachal Pradesh’s Spiti Valley with Ladakh’s Changthang region. The route is considered among India’s most demanding high-altitude trekking trails.
The team will be led by three women officers representing the Army, Navy and Air Force. The 28 participating cadets have an average age of 19, while the youngest is 16-and-a-half years old.
Flagging off the expedition in New Delhi, Singh said the participation of young women in such a demanding adventure activity reflected their courage, determination and growing capabilities. He said expeditions of this nature help young people develop leadership skills, mental resilience, discipline and self-confidence.
The trek is scheduled to be completed over 30 days, with the cadets accompanied by officers, medical personnel, instructors and other support staff. The expedition will pass through Kibber, Dumla, Thaltak, Bongrojen, Parang La, Dak Karzong, Norbu Sumdo, Kiangdom and Korzok.
The participants will encounter high-altitude deserts, glaciers, snowfields and river valleys during the expedition.
Singh urged the cadets to make safety, environmental protection and engagement with local communities their key priorities. He called on them to follow instructors’ guidance, avoid unnecessary risks and maintain a zero-waste approach to minimise the expedition’s impact on the fragile Himalayan ecosystem.
He also encouraged the cadets to interact respectfully with local communities and learn about their cultures and traditions, saying the experience would help them discover their own inner strength and resilience.
Highlighting the NCC’s growing record in adventure activities across land, water and air, Singh praised the girl cadets for embodying the spirit of ‘Nari Shakti’ by taking on leadership roles.
He also said the participation of cadets from NCC directorates across the country, bringing together people from different linguistic, cultural and social backgrounds, reflected the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’.
Singh wished the expedition team a safe and successful journey, describing the Parang La trek as an experience that could become a defining milestone in the cadets’ lives.
