A first-of-its-kind event, the ‘Soul of Steel Himalayan Challenge’ was conducted in the forward areas of the Garhwal Himalayan region. To achieve the Narendra Modi-led government’s initiative of ‘vibrant village’, the aim was to arrest migration from border areas by unlocking the tourism potential of the Himalayas and create income sources for local residents.
‘Soul of Steel’ supported by the Indian Army in collaboration with Conquer Land Air Water (CLAW) Global was launched by defence minister Rajnath Singh on January 14 at Dehradun. The campaign was initiated on the 120th Raising Year of the 9 (Independent) Mountain Brigade.
It was a unique blend of specialised skills, including high altitude mountaineering, extreme cold survival, psychological and physical endurance. The challenge opened the domain of niche military skills to an average person, who wishes to challenge their physical and psychological limits.
It attracted interest from 1,401 (including 94 women) highly skilled athletes, adventure sports enthusiasts and armed forces aspirants. These applicants were put through a gruelling two-stage screening process, of which only 23 (including two women) were finally chosen to undergo a 10-week extensive training in endurance, mountaineering, survival and rescue skills under a joint team of experts from the armed forces and CLAW Global.
The participants were trained to operate beyond the assumed limits of their body, to discover the limitless realms of their mind, consciousness and spirit. The final phase of the event was held from June 10 to 17, in which 18 ‘Soul of Steel’ warriors set out on a challenge to compete as teams of three along the rugged mountainous terrain of the Garhwals, at an altitude of 17,000 feet and covered a distance of 65 km through glaciers, ice walls, rock faces and snow-capped Himalayan peaks.
“The challenge tested their self-sustained mountain climbing, survival, navigation skills, psychological endurance and physical toughness. In this challenge, only the toughest competed, few sustained and the best won but everyone evolved,” said the organisers.
The closing ceremony will be held on June 18 at Ghamsali and attended by minister of state for defence, Ajay Bhatt, GOC-in-C Central Command, GOC UB Area and a massive gathering of school students, village residents, officers as well as soldiers of the army, ITBP, NDRF among others.
The event will have performances by the army on rock climbing, mixed martial arts, kalaripayattu alongside regional folk dance and song performances.
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