Bhubaneswar, Aug. 31: Youths who have always dreamt of climbing the Himalayas will be happy to know that the state government is offering a great opportunity in the form of an expedition camp Himsikhar to climb around 20,000ft.

A climbing facility is also on the anvil at the Kalinga Stadium in the city.

The state government, along with east zonal chapter of the Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF), has launched the Himsikhar annual expedition. Though it will be held in 2016, the process of selection will begin shortly, said an official of the state sports department.

"This expedition is a first of its kind in Odisha and fully funded by the state government. We will select youngsters in the age group between 18 and 25 years. Those with a background in sports or experience in trekking, climbing or adventure sports or camps will be given preference as will be the candidates with NCC background," said Susant Das, the east zone co-ordinator from the IMF in Odisha.

Initially, 50 youngsters will be selected. Girls will be encouraged to take part and the final team will include one-third girl members.

"The selected youths will be trained in three phases. We will train them in the Himlayas, so that they get used to the weather and the atmospheric conditions. In the first camp to be hosted on the Sandakphu peak, they will be trained for 10 days followed by another training for a week in natural rock climbing on another peak. The final phase training will be imparted in Goecha La Sikkim at 16,000ft where they will be taught ice skating and snow trekkking," said Das.

A team of 15 will be selected after a final screening, and post monsoon in 2016, this team will go on an expedition in Himachal or Uttarakhand or any suitable Himalayan peak of 6,000 metres.

Das has led many teams before to expedition to the Himalayas. "The government has recently come up with a policy to give different cash awards to youngsters going on trekking. Within a month, over 120 applications have reached us. This shows the popularity of adventure sports among the youths in Odisha," he said.

Moreover, with the Olympics 2020 set to include sports climbing as a new discipline, the state government is leaving no stones unturned to encourage the Odia youths to prepare for the challenge.

"We have begun the tendering process for an international standard climbing facility at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar. Work will begin by next year, and with the help of the IMF, we will make it the best in the country," said sports department undersecretary Bedabandhu Mishra.