The First Indian Woman To Complete An Expedition To The South Pole
Harpreet Chandi, a captain in the British Army, is always up for a good challenge. Last year, she took the biggest one of her life yet. Chandi became the first Indian woman to complete an unaided expedition to the South Pole. She travelled 700 miles, pulling a 200-pound pulk (sledge), braving harsh temperatures that went as low as -50c and wind speeds of up to 60mph. The 32-year-old started her solo expedition on November 24, 2021. Chandi finished the journey on January 3rd, 2022 and etched her name into polar history. In the British Army, Chandi serves as a task-force Physiotherapist. It’s hard to believe that she knew nothing about the journey when she started preparing for it three years ago. ‘What do I do? Do I run? What kind of thing do I even do to move out there?’ were some of the first questions that she Googled. It was a herculean task but Chandi was determined. As much as the journey was a challenge to Chandi’s physical endurance and mental resilience, it also became a way to reclaim her Indian Punjabi heritage. There she was—a Punjabi-British woman and Army Captain with the South Pole under her feet.
Chandi refuses to be put in a box. As someone who has faced her share of racism while growing up, her entire life has been about dodging stereotypes and conventions. In her early 20s, she started challenging herself with aggressive marathons because it revealed what she was capable of. The more she did, the more she realised that she was made of fire. The sky was the limit for this brave officer and there existed no box that her fierce spirit could fit into.
Power Move
In 2021, Chandi, who goes by the name “Polar Preet” on the internet, completed Marathon des Sables (one of the toughest ultra marathons in the world). It left her asking for more. To challenge her limits, she set on an expedition to the South Pole. Chandi braved 700 miles of wave-like speed bumps of snow and ice and extreme temperatures in Antarctica– the driest, coldest, highest, and windiest continent on Earth. She finished the journey in 40 days as opposed to the 45-47 day timeline that she had earlier projected.
Only a few women adventurers have completed a solo, unaided trek on Antarctica. Chandi has added diversity to the list. A role model for women worldwide, Chandi is proof that nothing can stop you when you set your mind to achieve your goals.
The POPxo Power Women List is an annual list that celebrates incredible Indian women from diverse domains who make power moves that have a real impact. With The POPxo Power Women List 2022, we celebrate 22 phenomenal women. To see the entire list, click here.
