The Defence Minister of India recently flagged in the nation’s first multi-dimensional adventure sports expedition, conducted by the National Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports (NIMAS) in France. The venture represents a milestone in the sports and adventure industry of the country.
Expedition Overview
The adventure expedition took place in November 2021, led by the Director of NIMAS and constituted a team of 12 individuals. This included eight Army personnel and four young adventurers from Arunachal Pradesh. The team accomplished an impressive 250 kilometres of winter trekking across the famous Alps Mountain Ranges. The well-known Tour De Mont Blanc trek was part of their journey, where they traversed the French, Swiss, and Italian Alps.
About National Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports (NIMAS)
Located in the West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh, NIMAS functions as an advanced sports training institute under the control of the Ministry of Defence. Uniquely, it offers training programs across different spheres – land, air, and water. This multidimensional approach opens up opportunities for civilians to explore challenges across diverse outdoor surfaces and even pursue careers in adventure sports. Apart from catering to civilians, NIMAS also provides structured training to defence personnel.
Insights on the Alps
Despite being a small segment in a discontinuous mountain chain stretching from the Atlas Mountains of North Africa, through southern Europe, and Asia to the Himalayas, the Alps hold great geographical significance. It encompasses eight European countries: Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Slovenia, and Switzerland.
Regarded as an “interzonal mountain system” or a “transition area” between Central and Mediterranean Europe, its highest peak is the well-known Mont Blanc. Although the Alps may not compare to the height and extensiveness of other mountain systems uplifted during the Paleogene and Neogene periods, such as the Himalayas, Andes, and Rockies, they influence significant geographical phenomena.
Acting as a geographical divide, the Alpine crests isolate one European region from the other. In addition, they provide the source for many of Europe’s major rivers, with waters from the region ultimately draining into the North, Mediterranean, Adriatic, and Black Seas.
As the first multi-dimensional adventure sports expedition of its kind, NIMAS’s venture in the Alps serves as a landmark in India’s journey towards promoting sports and adventure tourism.
Source: PIB