Bachendri to lead all-women Desert Safari

Bachendri Pal, India's first woman mountaineer to conquer Mount Everest, will lead a group of 20 women on a cross country desert expedition, covering more than 2000 kms along the western border of the country.
The 'Indian Women's Desert Safari' will be undertaken on camel backs from Koteshwar in Gujarat to Wagah border.
"My feet was always on the ground. In camels, my legs are in mid air. When we did camel safari for the first time, we didn't think it will be difficult. We thought we will enjoy on the camel. But the closer we went, we realised it was hazardous, risky and requires special skill. We need guts and grits to complete such an expedition. The expedition will be flagged off either on Feb 19 or 20," said Bachendri.

Out of 20 women, six were picked by Border Security Force (BSF) and rest by Tata Steel Adventure foundation.
"We took a similar expedition 8 years ago where 12 girls participated in a camel safari. This time 20 girls with Bachendri Pal will aim to cover a distance of more than 2000 kms within a month," said BSF officer in-charge of the expedition," M L Batham.
As part of the programme, the team will also interact with villagers and students along the border and spread awareness on women empowerment, education and holistic development.
"The journey is not just about riding a camel but also an opportunity to empower women. This is a significant safari where we will be training the participants before the flag off which will instill confidence in the them. We will get a chance to interact with people from remote villages. If they cannot come to us, we should go to them," she added.

The journey will conclude on March 24.