Team members of a cycling expedition from the National Institute of Mountaineering and Adventure Sports (NIMAS) cook in a Laotian family’s kitchen.
| Photo Credit: PTI
A team of four officers posted at the National Institute of Mountaineering & Adventure Sports (NIMAS), Dirang in Arunachal Pradesh, created a national record in cycling by covering 5,374 kms in 37 days across six South East Asian nations.
“The team commenced the expedition from Hanoi in Vietnam and culminated it at Indian National Army (INA) Memorial in Singapore. It was carried out in extreme weather conditions where the team members cycled on an average of 9-10 hours a day,” a Defence Ministry statement said. Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt flagged-in the team on Wednesday.
The team led by Col. Ranveer Singh Jamwal, Director, NIMAS, had undertaken the first-ever cycling expedition in six South East Asian Nations — Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore — from January 16, 2023 to March 06, 2023, the statement said. On March 3, they were felicitated by High Commissioner of India to Singapore P. Kumaran.
On the extreme weather conditions, a team member said, “Vietnam was cold, Laos and Cambodia were hot, Thailand and Malaysia were humid while monsoon welcomed us in Singapore.”
Most of the cycles broke down in Laos and Cambodia while in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia the team faced challenges in terms of language and food, he stated. The team was welcomed by Indian population in Malaysia and Singapore.
The team visited over 10 monuments and memorials and interacted with the heroes of Azad Hind Fauj, revisiting the stories of sacrifice and bravery of the INA, the statement said adding that they also scaled the highest peak of Vietnam Mount Fansipan (3,143m).
