In a push to promote women’s empowerment and border tourism, the Indian Army has facilitated the setting up of an all-women-run café at an altitude of around 13,000 feet near the Baba Harbhajan Singh Memorial Temple in East Sikkim.
The café, located close to one of Sikkim’s most visited high-altitude pilgrimage and tourist destinations, has been developed under the Army’s broader Ranbhoomi Darshan initiative aimed at supporting tourism and socio-economic development in strategically sensitive frontier regions.
According to a Defence Public Relations Office statement in Guwahati, the project was conceptualised and facilitated by the Trishakti Corps in coordination with the civil administration and local stakeholders.
The facility is being managed entirely by local women and is expected to generate livelihood opportunities in the remote Himalayan terrain, where harsh weather and difficult access have traditionally limited employment options.
Officials said the initiative is intended to combine tourism promotion with income generation, allowing women from nearby villages to participate more actively in the local economy. It is also expected to improve amenities for pilgrims and tourists visiting the Baba Harbhajan Singh shrine, a major spiritual site in Sikkim.
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The Army said the café reflects the resilience and entrepreneurial spirit of women in border areas and is aligned with efforts to promote sustainable tourism in East Sikkim. It is also expected to boost tourist footfall in the region by enhancing basic services at high altitude.
Beyond catering to visitors, the café is seen as part of a wider effort to integrate local communities into tourism-linked economic activity, with emphasis on self-reliance and community-driven development.
The initiative highlights growing collaboration between the armed forces and civil administration in border districts, where development projects are increasingly being taken up alongside operational responsibilities.
Officials added that such programmes reflect the Army’s continued focus on inclusive development, civic engagement, and strengthening ties with border communities across the Northeast.
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