The Aryavarth Express
New Delhi: The Territorial Army concluded its 54-day expedition from Siachen Glacier to Indira Point (Sri Vijay Puram) for its platinum jubilee celebration, travelling a distance of approximately 5,500 kilometres by land, air, and sea.
After the conclusion of the expedition, the team is set to assemble in Delhi and hand over the traditional sceptre bearing the Indian Tricolour, Indian Army, and Territorial Flags to the Chief of Army Staff in a formal ceremony.
The expedition was flagged off from Siachen Glacier base camp on July 30 by the commander of the Siachen Brigade.
The team cycled through the difficult terrain of high-altitude areas of Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh. It reached Delhi on 22 August 2024, where they paid homage at the National War Memorial before their formal send-off by the Deputy Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Rakesh Kapoor, and Director General of the of the Territorial Army, Lt Gen Raju Baijal, for their further journey.
The team also interacted with local villagers, civilians, students, NCC cadets, and public representatives throughout their journey from Ladakh till Campbell Bay, spreading awareness about the Indian Army and TA and also motivating the youth to join the Army.
Further, the team also spread awareness about environmental consciousness amongst the local population and at various places along the route and also participated in plantation drives along with the local population.
After having cycled through the entire length of the country’s mainland, the team reached Chennai on 13 Sep 2024, from where they moved by air to Sri Vijay Puram (and while Port Blair). There the team was received by Commander-in-Chief Andaman Nicobar Command, Air Marshal S Balakrishnan.
The team cycled through the villages on the Islands of Andaman and Nicobar and also did sailing between the Islands. On 21 Sep 2024, the team reached Indira Point, concluding their 54-day journey.
The team hoisted the Tricolour under water at Indira Point, which is the southernmost tip of India and got submerged in water during the Tsunami of 2004.