Captain Harpreet Chandi becomes first Indian-origin woman to complete a solo trek to South Pole

A 32-year-old British Sikh Army officer and physiotherapist, Captain Harpreet Chandi, has created history by becoming the first Indian-origin woman to successfully complete a solo, unsupported expedition to the South Pole.

Chandi, who calls herself 'Polar Preet', reached the South Pole on January 3, 2022, after completing a 700-mile solo trek across the Antarctic wilderness.

Polar Preet battled temperatures of minus 50 degrees Celsius and wind speeds of up to 60 mph to complete this historic feat 40 days after she began her journey in November 2021.

Chandi noted in her blog, following the expedition, "The expedition was always about so much more than just me. I want to encourage people to push their boundaries and to also believe in themselves. I want you to be able to do it without being labelled a rebel."

Before beginning her adventure, Chandi had said that she planned to upload a live tracking map for people to follow her daily voice blogs, adding that she wanted to take as many people as possible on this journey with her.

Chandi's trip started on November 7, 2021. She flew to Chile before embarking on the historic solo expedition in Antarctica. According to reports, Polar Preet carried a heavy holding kit, food, and fuel for 40 days during the trek.

How did Polar Preet prepare for this solo expedition?

It all began in the French Alps, where Chandi underwent training. She also hiked across Iceland's Langjökull Glacier and spent close to a month on the ice cap in Greenland.

Back home in England, she used two large tyres to substitute for the heavy sledge she would be dragging along in Antarctica for her polar training. Given that this was a solo trip, Chandi's only contact with the outside world was her support staff.

UK defence secretary Ben Wallance congratulated Captain Harpreet Chandi following the remarkable achievement. 

Chandi joined the forces' Reserves when she was 19 before she became a regular British Army at the age of 25. Surprisingly, she has never camped in her life. Currently based northwest England's Medical Regiment, Chandi's primary role is to organise and validate training for medical practicioners in the British Army as Clinical Training Officer.

She is finishing her master's degree in sports and exercise medicine, part-time, at Queen Mary's University in London. As an "endurance athlete", Chandi has participated in several marathons and ultra-marathons. As an army officer, Chandi has completed large scale exercises and deployments in Kenya, Nepal, and most recently, a six-month UN peacekeeping tour to South Sudan.

Liv Arnesen of Norway was the first woman in the world to make a solo trip to the south pole in 1994.

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