NIMAS team successfully completed first-ever 1040 km Brahmaputra river expedition
The journey, which began on Jan 14 at Gelling village concluded on Feb 10 at Hatsinghimari, Assam.
The team of NIMAS conducting the Brahmaputra rafting expedition
Itanagar, Feb 11: A team from Arunachal Pradesh's Dirang-based National Institute of Mountaineering and Adventure Sports (NIMAS), led by its director Col Ranveer Singh Jamwal, achieved a ground-breaking feat of adventure and endurance by successfully completing the first-ever attempt to navigate the entire 1040-km stretch of the mighty Brahmaputra river.
The expedition began on January 14 at Gelling village in Arunachal Pradesh, where the river enters India from Tibet, and concluded on Monday (Feb 10) at Hatsingimari, Assam, near the Bangladesh border.
The historic journey is a testament to human resilience, teamwork, and a deep commitment to exploring the untamed landscapes of India. The expedition braved unpredictable terrain, fierce weather, and remote stretches to accomplish what no one had attempted before, a release from the NIMAS said.
This expedition demanded months of strategic preparation, risk assessment, and team coordination.
"Conceiving such a monumental adventure and turning it into a reality was no mean task. It required not just physical readiness but relentless planning and leadership. Watching this dream unfold into history is a moment of immense pride," shared team leader Col Jamwal.
The expedition was executed under the aegis of the Ministry of Defence, by a highly-skilled and motivated team from NIMAS, Dirang and took 28 days to complete, with 25 days of intense pedalling and three days for equipment maintenance.
The team consisted of nine rafters and 14 support staff including Capt Kavitha, Hav Ganesh Paul, Hav Pramanik, Hav Yogesh Patil, Ramayan Singh, Vipin Singh, Tosap Rime, Rfn Sanjeep, Nb Sub Ravi, Hav Rakesh Yadav and 12 more. In the Arunachal leg of the expedition, six local rafters joined the team and in the Assam leg, four local rafters joined them in this historic journey.
The whole expedition route encompassed a series of inter-nationally renowned challenging rapids, including the turbulent Ningging Rapid, the pulsating currents of the Palsi Rapid, the formidable Class 4 plus Tooth Fairy Rapid, and the perilous Class 5 Kodak Rapid. Furthermore, the expedition also navigated through the formidable Class 4 Moying Madness and Karko killer Rapids, the treacherous Hairy Hari Rapid and many other Class 3+ rapids, before culminating at Pasighat.
The Assam leg of the expedition started from Poba in Jonai on January 22. This leg witnessed a dramatic transformation of the river, transitioning from its furious rapids through the Arunachal Himalayas to a vast and powerful riverine system. Rafters faced formidable challenges like navigating colossal eddies, wrestling with unpredictable currents and constantly adapting to the river's ever-changing dynamics. "This feat stands as a beacon for adventure enthusiasts and sets a new benchmark for exploration in India," the release added.