New Delhi, Aug 15 (IANS): Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Dr Virendra Kumar on Sunday flagged off 'Operation Blue Freedom', an expedition of people with disabilities to Siachen Glacier.

A team of people with disabilities from across the country is undertaking this expedition to Siachen Glacier to create a new World Record for the largest team of people with disabilities to reach the world's highest battlefield.

The team of people with disabilities, trained by 'Team CLAW', a team of Armed Forces veterans, undertook this expedition till Kumar Post (Siachen Glacier) to create a new World Record for the largest team of people with disabilities to reach the world's highest battlefield.

Recently, the union government had permitted a team of selected people with disabilities to scale Siachen Glacier.

"This pioneering expedition has brought India on the global stage as a leader in empowering Divyangjan and set a benchmark for other nations to emulate. This expedition is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision for Divyangjan and the Ministry of Social Justice Empowerment's pursuit to harness the immense productive potential of people with disabilities," the Ministry of Social Justice of Empowerment said.

"Simultaneously, it has also portrayed the skill and heart of India's Armed Forces not only on the Battlefield but off it as well," it added.