New Delhi | Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday flagged off a high-altitude expedition by a team of 28 girl cadets of the NCC, led by three women military officers, under which they will undertake a nearly 250-km trek over 30 days through some of the most remote and challenging terrain in the Himalayas.

The trek will traverse the Parang La Pass (5,578 m, 18,300 ft), connecting Himachal Pradesh's Spiti Valley with the Changthang region of Ladakh, and it is regarded as one of the country's most challenging high-altitude trekking routes.

Singh flagged off 'Aparajita' -- the all-India girl cadets' expedition across Parang La Pass -- during an event held in Delhi.

The team is led by three women officers representing the three services. Twenty-eight girl cadets of the National Cadet Corps (NCC) are participating in the expedition, with an average age of 19, and the youngest participant being just 16-and-a-half-year-old, the defence ministry said in a statement.

The route of the expedition includes Kibber, Dumla, Thaltak, Bongrojen, Parang La Pass, Dak Karzong, Norbu Sumdo, Kiangdom and Korzok, traversing high-altitude deserts, glaciers, snowfields and river valleys, it said.

"The expedition team, accompanied by officers, medical staff, instructors and support personnel, will undertake the approximately 250-km trek over 30 days through some of the most remote and challenging terrain in the Himalayas," the ministry said.

In his address, Singh termed the participation of young cadets in such a challenging high-altitude expedition as a powerful testament to the courage, determination and growing capabilities of the women of the country.

Extending his best wishes to the team for a safe and successful trek, he said such expeditions play an important role in developing leadership qualities, mental resilience, discipline and self-confidence among the youth.

Singh commended the selected cadets for their physical and mental preparation, emphasising that the trek would be a life lesson for them in resilience, confidence and self-discovery.

"The cadets would return from Parang La with not only memorable experiences but also a deeper understanding of their own inner strength," the minister said.

The expedition is being conducted in two phases.

A preparatory and acclimatisation trek was undertaken in the Bhaba-Pin Valley sector, following which the final team of NCC girl cadets was selected on merit. The expedition has been conceptualised to promote 'Nari Shakti', leadership qualities, self-confidence, teamwork, endurance and national integration among the girl cadets, the ministry said.

Singh exhorted the team members to keep safety, environment and interaction with local communities, as their priorities throughout the expedition.

"Strictly follow the guidance of instructors, avoid unnecessary risks, and adopt a zero-waste approach to protect the Himalayan ecology. Engage respectfully with local communities, understand their culture and traditions, and learn from their experiences. The expedition would become a defining milestone in your lives and inspire you to remain 'Aparajita' at every stage of life," he told the cadets.

Highlighting the growing achievements of NCC cadets in adventure activities across land, water and air, Singh lauded the girl cadets for demonstrating the spirit of 'Nari Shakti' by leading from the front.

On participation of cadets from pan-India NCC directorates, he asserted that their diverse languages, cultures and backgrounds, united by a common mission, exemplify the spirit of 'Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat'.

Director General, NCC, Lt Gen Virendra Vats, and other senior officials of the NCC and the ministry, were also present on the occasion.