IWK

First Indian woman to ski to the South Pole

Written by IWK Bureau | Jan 3, 2010 12:02:38 PM

Ms. Reena Kaushal, 38, of Delhi, became the first Indian woman to ski to the South Pole.   

She was a part of the historic ski-run of an eight-woman Commonwealth team that crossed a 900 km Antarctic ice trek to reach the South Pole to mark the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Commonwealth.

Skiing eight to 10 hours a day, Ms. Kaushal and her teammates from seven other countries covered the frozen continent to the pole in about 40 days. Each skier towed a sledge with food and gear weighing some 80 kg.

The skiers, Ms. Kaushal said in a statement online, braved blinding blizzards, jet speed winds blowing in excess of 130 km an hour and temperatures of minus 40 degrees Celsius.