ABOUT Tawanhchu Tifes

This is a momentous upshot of an idea that Gaurav, Smita, Charanjiv, and Manishankar exchanged while driving back from Leh to Delhi in September of 2023.  The idea of organizing a Kayaking Championship on the Tawang Chu came up during the Leh-Delhi drive. From an idea to kayaks in the river was an arduous journey that  involved months of brainstorming and meticulous planning. The resources needed to run such an event in the remotest part of the country took our collective energies with the guidance and patronage of Honourable Cabinet Minister Shri Kiren Rijiju and Honourable Chief Minister Shri Pema Khandu.

 

We had to build up the course and camp from scratch and tugging everything from either Tawang of 
Access to the remote Tawang Chu bordering Bhutan was very challenging and adventurous. Crossing the snow-laden Sela Pass to reach the remote Dungshingmang village, the site of the championship, was a memorable milestone. Chains had to be wrapped around wheels for more traction and to ensure the vehicle didn’t slip on the snow. Eventually, everybody made it to the campsite exhausted after such a challenging and tense drive. It was great to see the enthusiasm in the participants to explore a new river and of course, a beautiful scenic location of Arunachal Pradesh.
The entire stretch of the river that we have selected for the Kayaking Championship looked destined for a Kayaking Championship of this scale. Besides the challenging class V rapids, it has a beautiful space for camping along the river with easy access for everyone.
The 3-day championship (7-9 February) brought in national and international kayakers to compete in three categories (for the professional) -- Down River Sprint, Giant Slalom, and Boater Cross. We saw a very competitive race with the participants hustling and fighting it out at the gates to win the medals. We also had an amateur-level race to promote the sport amongst the youngsters of this region.
From the overwhelming appreciation we received from the participants, the spectators, the representatives of the Arunachal Pradesh government, the sponsors, and all who came out to support the historic attempt, it is now beyond doubt that the Tawangchu Tides championship will be a coveted annual event for kayakers around the world.     
A big thank you to all the participants who came from across the world to be a part of this championship. This event would not have been possible without the patronage of Honourable Cabinet Minister Shri Kiren Rijiju and Honourable Chief Minister Shri Pema Khandu.