United Kingdom (Commonwealth Union)_ Captain Preet Chandi, a Sikh army officer of Indian descent, has set a new world record for the longest unsupported solo arctic ski trip ever undertaken by a woman. According to media reports, British Army Captain Chandi walked 1,485 kilometers in 70 days and 16 hours, breaking the record for the longest solo, unsupported, unaided journey in Antarctica. She skied for between 13 and 15 hours every day, sometimes with as little as five hours of sleep, while battling fatigue and temperatures as low as minus 30 degrees Celsius.
Following her new world record, Captain Chandi revealed her success on Instagram. She captioned her post as, “Polar Preet has broken the world record for the longest, solo, unsupported and unassisted polar expedition by any woman in history!” According to media reports, Captain Chandi did not succeed in achieving her former goal of traveling from coast to coast. She was seen around 160 kilometers from the point where she was picked up.
The 33-year-old army officer stated, “Mentally, it was tough knowing I didn’t have enough time to make the crossing, but the journey was all about pushing my boundaries and inspiring others to do the same, so how could I not continue?” She added, “I’m disappointed I ran out of time to make the crossing of Antarctica, but I tried everything I could. I didn’t take a day off and worked as hard as possible every day. I’m proud that I kept going when it was tough and I thought I couldn’t do any more”.
During her journey, the army officer dragged roughly 120 pounds of equipment and supplies on a sledge while enduring temperatures as low as 30 degrees Celsius and wind speeds of up to 60 miles per hour. On her Instagram story, she stated, “I wanted to show that it doesn’t matter where you are from, what you look like, or what your starting line is, you can truly achieve anything”. She further added, “If a Punjabi woman from Derby can accomplish this, then anybody can achieve anything”.
To note, Captain Chandi became the first woman of color to accomplish a solo journey to the South Pole. She is currently a medical officer in the British Army, and accomplished her feat while on leave. Captain Preet Chandi joined the Army Reserves when she was 19, where she was commissioned in 2012. She joined the Regular Army when she turned 27 and participated in deployments and bilateral exercises. The 33-year-old army officer currently serves in Buckinghamshire and assists injured troops with training and rehabilitation as a physiotherapist at a regional rehabilitation center.
According to Team Forces/Team Army, a charity that raises money for sports, challenge, and adventure in the British military forces, Preet Chandi beat the record formerly set by Anja Blacha of Germany, who traveled 1,368 kilometers during her South Pole trip in 2019. The lady officer, popularly known as Polar Preet, accomplished another milestone last year when she became the first person of color to finish a solo Antarctic trip. Her accomplishments won her an honorary degree from the University of Derby and the British royal family’s backing.
In January 2022, she was the first woman of color to complete a 400-mile expedition in Antarctica. Chandi has served with the British Army in Nepal, Kenya, and South Sudan. Being an adventure lover, she has gone on climbing and trekking excursions in Kenya, Morocco, Mexico, Bolivia, Peru, Iceland, and Nepal, among many other nations. She hopes that her Antarctic adventure would encourage younger generations to break boundaries and accomplish their goals.
