Cadets of NCC's River Expedition named Indian Rivers - Mother of Culture are proceeding towards the destination by honoring heroic women at the river ghats.

NCC remains the largest voluntary youth organisation committed to youth empowerment as a core component of Nation Building. With an enrolled strength of more than 17 lakh youth in Army, Navy & Air Force Wings. The organisation has always encouraged adventure as an important part of its curriculum towards shaping personality of our future leaders.

Furthering the efforts in this direction, a riverine Sailing Expedition from Kanpur to Kolkata is 

being undertaken by the NCC cadets of all Directorates of NCC, representing various States and Union Territories across the length and breadth of the country to highlight the importance of rivers as a suitable mode for movement of personnel and goods along with some of the other major benefits towards agriculture, fishing and generation of hydroelectricity. It shall also provide the cadets a lifetime opportunity to sail through the challenging parts of River Ganges and Hooghly thereby boosting their confidence to undertake adventure activities. The expedition is being undertaken under the aegis of HQ DG NCC, New Delhi. It is part of the Republic Day celebrations2025 with the theme ‘BHARTIYA NADIYA - SANKRITIYO KI JANANI’. The expedition commenced on 21 Oct 2024 from Kanpur and shall terminate at Kolkata on 20 Dec 2024, covering a total distance of more than 1600 kms, with the entire stretch divided into six legs. The event has more than 400 cadets participating from the 17 Directorates. Additionally, ocean sailing onboard INS Tarangini is being undertaken by 150 NCC cadets, which has commenced from Mumbai on 03 Dec 2024 and shall culminate at Vishakhapatnam on 20 Dec 2024.

The responsibility of sailing along the stretch between Manihari to Farakka in River Ganges 

(of 120 kms) and Farakka to Kolkata along River Hooghly river (of 410 kms) is of NCC Directorate, 

West Bengal & Sikkim. The teams commenced the sailing from Manihari on the morning of 03 Dec 2024 and shall reach Farakka by evening of 04 Dec 2024. The final leg shall be flagged off at 

Farakka on 07 Dec 2024 with visits to twelve Ghats planned enroute to Kolkata, including 

Behrampore, Nabadwip and Kalyani and a number of educational tours to places of historic 

importance. Enroute, a number of social awareness & community development programs are also being undertaken to spread the larger message of always placing Nation First.

Almost 100 NCC cadets representing eleven States and one Union Territory namely seven 

sister States of the North Eastern Region, West Bengal, Sikkim, Kerala, Orissa and Lakshadweep

are taking part in this final leg of the event being conducted by West Bengal & Sikkim NCC 

Directorate. The cadets shall be undertaking a number of social activities comprising coastal 

cleaning, anti-pollution drive, tree plantation and cultural programs along the route to spread social awareness. The event shall culminate with the ‘Flagging In’ of the expedition by Maj Gen Vivek 

Tyagi, Additional Director General, West Bengal & Sikkim Directorate at Man of War Jetty, Kolkata 

on 20 Dec 2024.