- State’s first all-women team to scale the 20,100-feet peak in the Himalayas
- To unfurl 80-metre longTricolour on the occasion of India’s 80th Independence Day
Bhubaneswar, 6th August 2026: In a landmark moment for Odisha’s adventure sports and women empowerment, the first-ever all-women mountaineering team from Odisha is embarking on an ambitious expedition to Mount Yunam in Himachal Pradesh. Eleven women from Odisha are preparing to take the state’s spirit, strength and the Indian Tricolour to the heights of the Himalayas. Today’s launch of the journey took place at a program organized at the Tennis Auditorium of the local Kalinga Stadium. The event was attended by Mr. Ganesh Jena, Association for Adventure & Social Activities (AASA), Secretary, Mr. Haresh Kumar Mishra, Vice President, AASA, Mr. Sudhakar Nayak,add secretary and Mr. ShubhashishTripathy, Managing Director, Sanket Communications.
Organised by the Association for Adventure & Social Activities (AASA), Odisha, in association with Sanket Communications, a leading marketing & communications company, the state’s first all-women Mount Yunam Expedition will depart from Bhubaneswar on 7 August 2026. The team will attempt to summit the 20,100-feet peak on 15th August on the landmark occasion of India’s 80th Independence Day.
The climbers intend to unfurl an 80-metre-long national flag, symbolizing patriotism, unity and the spirit of woman empowerment, amid the grandeur of the Himalayas.The eleven-member team brings together five experienced mountaineers and five women taking on their first high-altitude expedition. Besides a 13-year-old adventure enthusiast Aradhya Jena, whose presence adds a remarkable new dimension to the mission and reflects the rising confidence of Odisha’s younger generation. The expedition will follow the structured acclimatization route in Himanchal Pradesh, passing through Solang Valley, Jispa and Bharatpur before the team establishes Camp 1 and prepares for the summit attempt. Safety, discipline, environmental responsibility and teamwork will guide every stage of their journey.
Speaking about the expedition Mountaineer Anita Swain who is leading the team said:“For us, Mount Yunam is more than a summit. Taking the 80-metre Tricolour to the summit on Independence Day will be our proud tribute to the nation.”
Mountaineer Ganesh Jena, Expedition Coordinator, said:“The team has been undergoing training with a strong focus on fitness, endurance, acclimatisation and mountain discipline. The team is charged with high energy and enthusiasm and they are ready to take on the challenge with confidence and responsibility.”
Mr Subhashish Tripathy, Managing Director Sanket Communications and a seasoned trekker himself. said:“Some journeys deserve more than appreciation. They deserve strong support. This expedition brings together courage, purpose and national pride, and we are honoured to stand behind it. We believe these women will return with more than a summit story.”
Representing the organising body, Haresh Mishra,Vice President of AASA, Odisha, said, “This expedition marks an important beginning for Odisha’s youth in the field of adventure sports. The expedition to Mount Yunam stands for confidence, resilience and leadership- qualities which will take the youth of our state far ahead in life.
Before the press meet, Odisha Assembly Speaker Mrs. Surama Padhy ceremonially handed over the Indian National Flagto the mountaineering team at her resident, marking the formal commencement of the expedition. She expressed pride in the inspiring leadership and courageous initiative demonstrated by the women of the state and extended her best wishes to the hikers for the expedition’s complete success.
The expedition team is scheduled to return to Bhubaneswar on 20 August 2026 upon the successful completion of the expedition.
