As daybreak breaks over Zemithang, Tawang district in Arunachal Pradesh, the high-altitude air is chilly, razor-sharp. A number of prayer flags flutter within the wind like silent witnesses to one thing historic. Right here, in one in every of India’s most distant border areas, a workforce of ladies — troopers, mountaineers, and Monpa villagers is setting off on a journey few have dared.
In a landmark initiative, an all-women high-altitude trekking expedition was flagged off on November 12 by lieutenant common Gambhir Singh, common officer commanding of the Military’s Gajraj Corps, in a proper ceremony on this serene nook of Arunachal Pradesh.
𝐀𝐥𝐥–𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐀𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞 𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐤 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐙𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠
The primary-ever All-Girls Trekking Expedition within the Japanese Himalayas, organised by #GajrajCorps with the Indian Mountaineering Basis, efficiently concluded at Zemithang,… pic.twitter.com/bl2mS3zFsD
— Gajraj Corps – Indian Military (@GajrajCorps_IA) November 13, 2025
An indication of empowerment on the fringe of the world
In line with the official defence launch, the expedition brings collectively ladies from the Indian Military, the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), the Indian Mountaineering Basis (IMF), and the native Monpa group.
After every week of acclimatisation, the workforce will embark on a 96-hour trek, scaling altitudes above 13,000 ft by means of rugged and distant terrain.
“This pioneering endeavour additionally underlines the Authorities’s imaginative and prescient for Vibrant Villages and contributes to group engagement and journey tourism within the border areas of Arunachal Pradesh,” the defence launch states.
Lt Gen Gambhir Singh lauded the contributors, saying their “spirit and willpower” are usually not solely inspiring but in addition symbolise how ladies can lead from the entrance, even in high-altitude challenges.
Why this trek issues
1) Border integration & tourism
By selling treks within the Tawang-Zemithang area, the expedition might catalyse border tourism and convey consideration to lesser-known Himalayan communities.
2) Empowering ladies
The all-women nature of the trek sends a robust message about functionality, resilience, and management in excessive environments. It could possibly encourage extra ladies within the forces and civilian life to embrace journey and mountaineering.
3) Cultural connection
Involving the Monpa group builds a bridge between locals and establishments just like the Military and IMF. It fosters respect for native traditions and landscapes whereas navigating shared challenges.
4) Strategic significance
Excessive-altitude treks in border areas like Tawang are usually not only for journey — they double as workouts in endurance, navigation, and acclimatisation, that are helpful for safety personnel.
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GajrajCorps_IA
A legacy of Himalayan ladies trailblazers
This expedition provides to an evolving legacy of Indian ladies making their mark in high-altitude terrain:
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In 2023, a workforce of ladies over 50, led by mountaineer Bachendri Pal, accomplished an 18-day Himalayan and off-road “odyssey” by means of Arunachal Pradesh.
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In 2025, an all-women Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) workforce summited Mount Nun (7,135m) in Ladakh — one of the technically difficult Himalayan peaks.
These tales replicate a strong development: ladies are usually not simply collaborating — they’re main, naming, and redefining Himalayan exploration.
What comes subsequent
This trek might have ripple results properly past its 96-hour period:
Tourism potential:As extra women-led and community-inclusive treks succeed, distant border areas might draw extra journey tourism — boosting native economies.
Civil-military belief:Shared efforts in such expeditions can deepen belief and cooperation between native communities and nationwide defence forces.
Inspiration for younger ladies: This mission could possibly be the spark for extra women and younger ladies to contemplate mountaineering, border service, or journey sports activities — no matter gender norms.
Excessive up within the Japanese Himalayas, the place the air bites and paths vanish into the clouds, this workforce of ladies is doing greater than trekking — they’re writing a brand new chapter in Indian journey lore. Their journey could also be 96 hours lengthy, however its affect guarantees to echo for generations.
Sources:
‘All-women excessive altitude trekking expedition in Arunachal’: by The Arunachal Occasions, printed on 13 November 2025
‘India’s first all-women Himalayan trek kicks off in Arunachal’s Tawang district’: by Mathrubhumi English, printed on 12 November 2025.
‘Girls’s workforce on ‘Himalayan odyssey’ in Arunachal’: by The Arunachal Occasions, printed on 15 October 2023
‘All-women paramilitary workforce scales Mount Nun, prepares for Mount Everest try’: by Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu for India Right now, printed on 29 September 2025.
Characteristic picture from X/@GajrajCorps_IA