Culled after a rigorous evaluation exercise, which
included running, obstacle races, river rafting as well as a written
interview and a gruelling psychological grilling, the five will join
15 others, selected from three other cities, in Delhi on 1 March and
proceed to the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering in Uttarkashi, before
embarking on the rigorous trek to the Everest base camp, 20,000 feet
above sea level.
The Rs 110 million initiative, being undertaken in coordination with
the Indian Army, is the first time that is being captured on a TV
camera from start to finish. The cameras were in attendance even during
the initial eliminations, when participants were required to speak
a few words on film, and when they ran their course through the physical
tests at the naval base in Colaba in southern Mumbai on Sunday.
The weekly telecasts of the Everest Se Takkar will begin from
next week. The Everest initiative is the first time that National
Geographic Channel will create local programming that is focused specifically
on the Indian viewer. The channel will shoot the entire selection
and training procedure and the final trudge to Everest. |
