Fit@50 + Women's Trans Himalayan expedition, organized by Tata Steel Adventure Foundation in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports under the Fit India banner, and the Indian Army, has successfully completed its 140 days of the expedition. Union Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports Mr Anurag Singh Thakur felicitated the Expedition team at the iconic Major Dhyanchand Stadium in the national capital on 2 August 2022.The 11-member team comprising women in their 50s and 60s culminated their journey at the Kargil War Memorial on July 24 to commemorate Kargil Vijay Diwas. At the memorial, the team paid homage to the war heroes who achieved martyrdom in the 1999 Kargil War. This Fit@50+ team was led by the legendary Mountaineer, Padma Shree, Padma Bhushan Ms Bachendri Pal, the first Indian woman to summit Everest in 1984. The team consisted of women from various backgrounds such as retired corporate professionals, retired army persons, housewives, retired locomotive drivers, grandmothers, and working women too. While the youngest member is 54 years old, the eldest member is aged 68 years.The Expedition was flagged off in Delhi on March 8, 2022, International Women's Day. The expedition started from Pangsau Pass (Indo-Myanmar border) and concluded at Dras sector, Kargil in Ladakh, covering a distance of over 4,841 km and traversing 35 high mountain passes in 140 days from East to West of the Himalayas in India and Nepal. The passes crossed include the toughest Lamkhaga Pass at 17,700 feet height; the most challenging and the highest of the passes, Parang La pass at an astounding 18,300 feet; the Bhabha Pass at 16,000 feet, and the Thorang La Pass at 17,800 feet Over 50 guest trekkers including 3-4 from outside India joined the expedition for a short duration of 7-10 days at different locations. Among them included a 75-year-old woman who successfully crossed the Lamkhaga Pass.The team had to overcome extreme weather conditions, treacherous climbs, and constrained resources every step of the way. Some of the routes in Eastern and Western Nepal were extremely remote and many times the team trekked for days on end between an altitude of 10,000-14,000 feet. While the longest day trekked was 13.5 hours at an altitude above 10,000 feet, the longest distance covered in a day at a high altitude of 12000 feet was 29 kms. The team also shared some memorable and unique experiences including staying at a graveyard, a Chicken farm, abandoned buildings, and old school verandas.
Fit@50 + Women's Trans Himalayan expedition, organized by Tata Steel Adventure Foundation in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports under the Fit India banner, and the Indian Army, has successfully completed its 140 days of the expedition. Union Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports Mr Anurag Singh Thakur felicitated the Expedition team at the iconic Major Dhyanchand Stadium in the national capital on 2 August 2022.The 11-member team comprising women in their 50s and 60s culminated their journey at the Kargil War Memorial on July 24 to commemorate Kargil Vijay Diwas. At the memorial, the team paid homage to the war heroes who achieved martyrdom in the 1999 Kargil War. This Fit@50+ team was led by the legendary Mountaineer, Padma Shree, Padma Bhushan Ms Bachendri Pal, the first Indian woman to summit Everest in 1984. The team consisted of women from various backgrounds such as retired corporate professionals, retired army persons, housewives, retired locomotive drivers, grandmothers, and working women too. While the youngest member is 54 years old, the eldest member is aged 68 years.The Expedition was flagged off in Delhi on March 8, 2022, International Women's Day. The expedition started from Pangsau Pass (Indo-Myanmar border) and concluded at Dras sector, Kargil in Ladakh, covering a distance of over 4,841 km and traversing 35 high mountain passes in 140 days from East to West of the Himalayas in India and Nepal. The passes crossed include the toughest Lamkhaga Pass at 17,700 feet height; the most challenging and the highest of the passes, Parang La pass at an astounding 18,300 feet; the Bhabha Pass at 16,000 feet, and the Thorang La Pass at 17,800 feet Over 50 guest trekkers including 3-4 from outside India joined the expedition for a short duration of 7-10 days at different locations. Among them included a 75-year-old woman who successfully crossed the Lamkhaga Pass.The team had to overcome extreme weather conditions, treacherous climbs, and constrained resources every step of the way. Some of the routes in Eastern and Western Nepal were extremely remote and many times the team trekked for days on end between an altitude of 10,000-14,000 feet. While the longest day trekked was 13.5 hours at an altitude above 10,000 feet, the longest distance covered in a day at a high altitude of 12000 feet was 29 kms. The team also shared some memorable and unique experiences including staying at a graveyard, a Chicken farm, abandoned buildings, and old school verandas.
