Preet Chandi: 10 Things About The First Woman Of Colour On Solo Expedition To South Pole

On her solo expedition to the south pole Preet Chandi completed 700 miles trek in 40 days on January 3, 2022. Chandi, not only completed an awfully difficult trek, which was reportedly unsupported by Antarctica's Hercules Inlet, she also created history. Chandi became the first woman of colour to complete her trek.

This journey physically started for Chandi in November last year. On completing the trek, she wrote on her blog, "I made it to the South Pole where it's snowing. Feeling so many emotions right now...it feels so surreal to finally be here." She use to share her trek updates and findings on her blog regularly and when possible.

Chandi went on a trek across the south pole with a sledge that weighed 90 kilograms, along with a kit, food and fuel. The Chief of the General Staff of the British Army congratulated her for this achievement and wrote, "Congratulations to @PreetChandi10 on the completion of her 700-mile unsupported trek to the South Pole. An inspirational example of the grit and determination of our soldiers. Well Done! @BritishArmy."

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Ten things to know about the woman who completed the trek unsupported and fully determined:

- Preet Chandi, also known as Harpreet Chandi, is a British-born Sikh officer.

- Chandi joined the British Army when she was 27 years old.

- She is the first woman of colour and Asian woman to complete a solo expedition to the South Pole.

- The 32-year-old army officer goes by the name Polar Preet on social media.

- "You are capable of anything you want. No matter where you are from or where your start line is, everybody starts somewhere," she said. She wants not just to break the glass ceiling, but to "smash it into a million pieces."

-Other than being an army officer, Chandi is also a Nordic skier, physiotherapist, ultra-marathon runner and endurance athlete.

- It was her Senior Medical Officer at the first regiment, who encouraged her to take Army Adventurous Training.

- Chandi believes that it is not a norm for Asian women to take adventure sports because she faced questions about her choice from people too.

- She wants to encourage people to push their boundaries and believe in themselves. She wants people to do that without labels like a rebel.

- Previously, she had undertaken ultra-marathons like Marathon des Sables across the Sahara desert and a 27-day expedition on the ice cap in Greenland.