New Delhi: In a proud moment for India and a shining example of youth determination, the National Cadet Corps (NCC) successfully completed its third historic expedition to Mount Everest, as a team of 10 cadets summited the world’s highest peak (8,848 metres) on May 18, 2025. The team comprised five boys and five girls, accompanied by four Officers, two Junior Commissioned Officers, one Girl Cadet Instructor, and 10 Non-Commissioned Officers.
What makes this feat even more remarkable is that the cadets, drawn from across India, were all first-time climbers. Their journey to the summit was paved through a rigorous selection process that began months in advance. After an initial screening, the cadets took part in a pre-Everest expedition to Mt Abi Gamin, which tested their resilience and high-altitude skills. Following that, 15 cadets were shortlisted for intensive winter and technical training at the Army Mountaineering Institute and the Siachen Base Camp. Of them, the final team of 10 was chosen for the Everest mission.
With an average age of just 19, the young climbers earned admiration from fellow mountaineers and Sherpas for their exceptional fitness, discipline, and team spirit during acclimatisation phases at various stages of the ascent. The Sherpas accompanying the group praised the NCC cadets for their morale and preparedness in confronting one of the toughest challenges known to humankind.
Braving hostile terrain and unpredictable weather, the team reached the summit and proudly unfurled the Indian Tricolour and the NCC flag, symbolizing not just national pride but also the strength, resilience, and courage of India’s youth.
The expedition was officially flagged off by Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh on April 3, 2025, in New Delhi. The 2025 climb marks the third successful NCC ascent of Mount Everest, following previous expeditions in 2013 and 2016, and continues the organisation’s legacy of fostering leadership, discipline, and adventure among Indian youth.
