20 NCC Girl Cadets Complete Parang La High-Altitude Trek in Ladakh

Twenty girl cadets of the National Cadet Corps have completed a high-altitude long trek that took them across the Parang La Pass, which sits at an elevation of 5,578 metres and links the Spiti Valley in Himachal Pradesh with the Changthang region of Ladakh.

The expedition, titled 'Aparajita - Parang La 2026', was flagged in at Karzok in Ladakh on September 16, 2026, by Director General NCC Lt Gen Virendra Vats and Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Defence Dipti Mohil Chawla.

The cadets, drawn from different parts of the country, covered roughly 250 kilometres over 30 days. Their route ran through glaciers, snowfields and river valleys, and they were accompanied by officers, instructors, medical staff and support personnel. The team travelled from Kibber in Himachal Pradesh to Karzok in Ladakh.

The trek had been flagged off from New Delhi by Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh on August 18, 2026.

Addressing the gathering at the flag-in ceremony, Lt Gen Vats congratulated the cadets and the staff on finishing the expedition. He said such activities help build leadership, self-confidence, teamwork and endurance among young people.

The expedition was organised to encourage the participation of young women in adventure activities and to give them exposure to demanding high-altitude conditions. It also sought to further national integration by bringing together cadets from across the country.