FIT @ 50+ Women’s Trans Himalayan Expedition, the first expedition of its kind
in India was welcomed by the 5 MADRAS Battalion of Indian Army at Dibrugarh. The
odyssey organized by Tata Steel Adventure Foundation (TSAP) in collaboration with
the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, under Fit India movement is dedicated to Central
Government’s Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, celebrating India’s 75 years of Independence.
2.
The expedition flagged off on the International Women’s Day this year is being
led by Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri Miss Bachendri Pal, the legendary
mountaineer and first Indian woman to scale Mount Everest. The team of 12 includes
retired professionals, mothers, grandmothers and home makers across the country and
is expected to traverse East to West from Arunachal Pradesh to Karakoram range
covering a distance of 4500 km and across 37 mountain passes over five months.
3.
The event has become widely popular and inspiration to the women of all ages
across the country, determining that the age is just a number. The team is being
assisted by the Indian Army throughout their journey. The team and the support staff
was felicitated by the Indian Army authorities at Dibrugarh Army Camp.
Bachendri Pal (born 24 May 1954) is an Indian mountaineer, who in 1984 became the first Indian woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest. She was awarded the third highest civilian award Padma Bhushan by Government of India in 2019
