An All-India National Cadet Corps (NCC) trekking camp which commenced on January 11 dispersed Thursday at Japfü Christian College (JCC) Kigwema, Kohima district. A press release by PRO Defence stated that 510 cadets from senior division and junior division NCC from NCC directorates of Rajasthan, Bihar and Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal and Sikkim and NER attended the trekking camp, a first of its kind held in Nagaland as part of the NCC north eastern trekking event.
The cadets arrived on January 10 in the camp organised by 24 Independent NCC company, Kohima under the aegis of NCC Group HQs, Kohima. The cadets were organized into four mixed groups, named after the rivers of Nagaland for all trekking and training events. The idea of training in mixed groups was to facilitate and promote healthy interaction of cadets from different cultural backgrounds.
Between January 13 to January 16, the four groups were taken on daily treks to Japfü Ridge, Kisama Heritage Village, Kisama potato farm and view point, and Zakhama Military Station. The day-hikes in the lap of Mount Japfu were the first exposure for most the cadets to hill-walking.
These day-hikes involved daily elevation gain and loss of about 2000 feet, over a distance of 8 to 10 km. The total distance covered over four days of hill walking was about 36 km, and was moderately challenging for first-timers in the hills. A visit to Kisama Heritage Village gave the cadets a glimpse into the Naga Culture, and the historical significance of these hills during World War-II. Documentaries and films were screened in the evenings. On January 17, inter-group competitions were organized, culminating in a cultural programme. The cadets dispersed on January 18.