Excelsior Sports Correspondent
JAMMU, June 4: To commemorate golden jubilee year of the Golden Key Division and to showcase the indomitable will and the spirit of adventure in the Indian Army, a 15 members high altitude biking and trekking expedition was undertaken by the Division.
The expedition team was flagged in by Lieutenant General Amarjeet Singh, GOC Kharga Corps today. Major General MS Ghura, GOC Golden Key Division was also present alongwith a host of senior veterans who had commanded the Division earlier including Lieutenant General Gurinder Singh.
The expedition team successfully covered a distance of 644 kilometer since its flag-off on May 8 in an inhospitable mountain terrain of Himachal Pradesh traversing heights upto 4500m.
The team started the mountain terrain biking from Shimla and followed the route of Matiana-Kumarsain-Pooh-Sumdo-Kaza-Losar-Kunzum La-Batal-Gramphoo-Rohtang-Manali and carried out cycling and trekking where snow was still there, through the arduous and inhospitable areas like Kunzom La (4500m) and Rohtang Pass.
Besides achieving its aim of spreading spirit of adventure, camaraderie and patriotism, the team also promoted the noble and national issues such as women empowerment and environmental awareness through interaction with local youth and elders.