NCC GIRLS CADET SCALE
RUDUGAIRA PEAK
National Cadet Corps
(NCC) Girls Mountaineering Expedition Team has scaled the 19,091
ft high peak of Rudugaira situated in the Gangotri region of Garhwal
Himalayas. It is located South West of Gangotri at Latitude of
30 56’ E, Longitude 78 50’ N. The team scaled the peak in the
face of adverse weather conditions and heavy snowfall. At one
time the weather became so bad that climbing the team was almost
impossible. One cadet developed High Altitude Cerebral Odema (HACO),
and needed urgent evacuation. Showing least regard for their personal
safety the team members brought their colleagues to lower altitude
during the night itself and in deteriorating weather condition.
The girl cadets were thereafter evacuated by the IAF helicopter
from the intermediate Camp at a height of 12,500 feet, to the
Military Hospital at Roorkee and her life was saved. During this
period there were other expeditions going on in the same region,
two of which have even suffered casualties, on account of bad
weather.
The NCC team was
flagged in at a simple ceremony by Vice Admiral John C De Silva,
Vice Chief of the Naval Staff here today. Addressing the cadets
Vice Admiral De Silva complimented the NCC team for successful
accomplishment of their mission against very heavy odds. He said
that the high standard of discipline, team work and morale displayed
by the team will stand the cadets in good stand in the future
whereby no task however daunting will ever seen difficult for
them.
The NCC team consisting
of the leader Major Satash Kumar, Deputy Leader Capt SC O’ Brien,
Medical Officer Capt. (Mrs) Bharati K Kalyani, 20 Senior Wing
NCC girl cadets with a supporting staff of 19, including two Girl
Cadet Instructors and experienced JCO/NCOs of the Indian Army
attempted the Rudugaira Peak.
