Haryana’s Ravi Thakur among winners of endurance race

New Delhi, June 18

The ‘Soul of Steel Himalayan Adventure Challenge’, a first of its kind endurance event supported by the Indian Army, concluded in the Garhwal Himalayan region in Uttarakhand.

Ravi Thakur from Haryana and Ankush Mandhotra from Himachal Pradesh ended up on the winning and the runners-up teams, respectively. Six teams with three persons each competed in the gruelling final phase from June 10 to 17. The six teams competed along the rugged terrain of Garhwal Himalayas at an altitude of 17,000 feet, covering a distance of 65 kilometres through glaciers, ice walls, rock faces and snow-capped peaks.

In all, 1,401 persons, including 94 women all highly skilled athletes, adventure sports enthusiasts and armed forces aspirants applied for the challenge. After a gruelling two-stage screening process, 23 persons, including two women, were selected to undergo the final 10-week training in endurance, mountaineering, survival and rescue skills. These 23 were split into six teams.

The event coincided with the 120th Raising Year of 9 Independent Mountain Brigade Group headquartered at Joshimath. Central Army Commander Lt Gen NS Raja Subramani gave away the prizes today.