Uttarkashi (Uttarakhand): Determined to make a mark, 11 women, all above 50 years, are on their way to complete one of the toughest mountaineering expeditions in the world. The group is led by famous mountaineer and Padma Bhushan awardee, Bachendri Pal, who herself is 67 years old. The expedition started back in March and is expected to be over by the end of this month.
This group is on a mission to traverse the mighty Himalayan ranges by completing the Trans Himalayan Expedition, which is considered one of the toughest trekking expeditions in the world. The team will cover a distance of 4,977 km and cross 37 mountain passes during the five-month-long expedition. This team left New Delhi on March 8, observed as International Women's Day.
The expedition began on March 12 from the Pang-Sau Pass located at an altitude of 3,727 feet in Arunachal Pradesh near the Indo-Myanmar border. After hiking and covering thousands of kilometers located in Assam, West Bengal, Sikkim, and Nepal regions, the team finally reached the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand on June 30, where the team was accorded a grand welcome by the villagers.
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Pal said that when she started this expedition, she was worried about whether they would be able to complete the gigantic task, but the overwhelming response from the people inspired her and the team. Also, there was a sense of responsibility, which made her feel like a warrior, who is on national duty to spread awareness about fitness and women empowerment.
She said that on the completion of 75 years of India's independence, a special campaign has been started for women under the Amrit Mahotsav. This 50-plus women trans Himalayan campaign has been named FIT, which was sponsored by Tata Steel and the Ministry of Youth and Sports. This campaign has been organized under PM Narendra Modi's Fit India Movement to spread awareness about fitness, lifestyle diseases, and women's empowerment. Apart from this, the purpose of this campaign is an attempt to inspire people, it is an attempt to tell them that there is no age limit to achieve their dreams.
With Pal leading the group, the other members include Chetna Sahu (West Bengal), 54 years old; Savita Dhapwal (Chhattisgarh), 53; L Annapurna (Jamshedpur), 52; Gangotri Soneji (Gujarat), 63; Payo Murmu (Jharkhand), 55; Sushma Bissa (Rajasthan), 55; Retired Major Krishna Dubey (Uttar Pradesh), 59; Bimla Devaskar (Maharashtra), 54; Vasumathi Srinivasan (Karnataka),68; and Shamla Padmanabhan (Karnataka), 64.
Apart from the core members, Mohan Singh Rawat, Randev Singh, and Bhanu Rani Mahto are also with the team as support staff. The team will resume its campaign from Harshil. They will cross the Lamkhaga pass to reach Himachal Pradesh. After this, they will cross Spiti, Leh Ladakh, and finally conclude the campaign in Kargil by the end of July.
