Part of: GS Prelims and GS -II – Issues related to Disability
In news Recently, the Government of India has accorded sanction to Team CLAW to lead a team of people with disabilities to scale Siachen Glacier and create a new world record for the largest team of people with disabilities.
This is the land world record expedition part of ‘Operation Blue Freedom Triple World Records’ being undertaken.
Triple Elemental World Records is a series of world records being attempted by the team in 2021 of collectives of people with disabilities achieving great feats on land, in air and underwater.
What is Team CLAW and Operation Blue Freedom?
Team CLAW: Team CLAW (Conquer Land Air Water) is a team of ex-Indian Special Forces commandos.
Generally, all are either from Indian Army Para Commandos or the Naval Marine Commandos, also known as the MARCOS.
These veterans have multiple specialisations such as skydiving, scuba diving, mountaineering, etc.
The initiative was taken by Major Vivek Jacob, a Para (Special Forces) officer.
Operation Blue Freedom: It is a social impact venture aimed at rehabilitating people with disabilities through adaptive adventure sports.
Aim: To shatter the common perception of pity, charity and inability associated with people with disabilities and recreate it to one of dignity, freedom and ability.
Focus: To ‘design and implement sustainable large-scale employment solutions’ for people with disabilities
It was launched in 2019 by Team CLAW.
What is Siachen Glacier?
The Siachen Glacier is located in the Eastern Karakoram range in the Himalayas, just northeast of Point NJ9842 where the Line of Control between India and Pakistan ends.
It is the Second-Longest glacier in the World’s Non-Polar areas.
Fedchenko Glacier, located in Yazgulem Range, Tajikistan is the Longest glacier in the World’s Non-Polar areas.
The Siachen Glacier lies immediately south of the great drainage divide that separates the Eurasian Plate from the Indian subcontinent in the extensively glaciated portion of the Karakoram sometimes called the “Third Pole”.
It is part of Ladakh
It is the world’s highest battlefield.
The entire Siachen Glacier has been under the administration of India since 1984 (Operation Meghdoot).
