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The record-breaking British explorer Preet Chandi, who made history trekking solo to the south pole, is now turning her ambitions north.
Nicknamed Polar Preet, the 36-year-old from Derby has made three solo expeditions to Antarctica, earning herself four Guinness world records, as well as praise from the Princess of Wales for her “incredible” achievements.
Chandi reached the south pole for the first time in January 2022, travelling 702 miles in 40 days, and becoming the first woman of colour to complete a solo expedition to Antarctica.
A year later, she broke the record for the longest solo unsupported one-way polar ski journey, skiing for up to 15 hours a day on as little as five hours’ sleep, while pulling her kit and supplies weighing about 120kg (19 stone) – through winds of up to 60mph and in temperatures as low as -30C.
She covered 922 miles over 70 days, beating the previous world record of 907 miles (1,459km) set in 2015 by the retired lieutenant colonel Henry Worsley.
Now, Chandi is in training to try to become the first woman to travel solo and unsupported to the north pole.
She will set off from Canada and the journey will involve travelling across sea ice, crossing sections of open water, climbing over rough ice and dealing with temperatures of -50C.
“Currently no female has travelled solo to the north pole,” Chandi wrote on her fundraising page. “There is a slim chance that I will actually make it to the north pole – but wouldn’t it be incredible if I did!”
The physiotherapist, who served as a medical officer in the British army for 16 years, reaching the rank of captain, joked that when she first told her “proud and supportive” Indian family of her plans, “some of them thought I was talking about Southall rather than the south pole”.
After she collected her MBE in 2023, Chandi said: “Wherever we start from, we can go and achieve anything.”
On a visit to Landau Forte college in Derby, the princess said: “I just think it’s incredible, what you’ve been able to achieve. Being by yourself … As humans we are meant to connect and be with each other, and being on your own all that time is really challenging.”
Chandi is now training, and fundraising, for her latest record attempt, with plans to begin her trek to the north pole in March, weather permitting.
“When I reached the south pole the first time [January 2022], I said on my blogpost: ‘I don’t want to just break the glass ceiling, I want to smash it into a million pieces,’” she wrote on her GoFundMe page.
“I was told no on so many occasions, called stubborn or rebellious because I wanted to do things that were out of the norm and push my boundaries.
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“I want to encourage others to push their boundaries, it is amazing how much your world opens up when you start to do so. No boundary or barrier is too small and I want to continue to smash that glass ceiling.”
Chandi took unpaid leave from the army to complete her Antarctica expeditions, and is now on a career break. During her service she was deployed in Nepal, Kenya and a six-month UN peacekeeping tour to South Sudan, where she organised a 30-hour endurance event to raise money for charity. She completed the full 30 hours while other soldiers would join her for anything between one and 12 hours.
Her taste for endurance challenges came after she undertook an ultra-marathon much closer to home. After completing the Dusk till Dawn 50 mile challenge in the Peak District, she caught the bug for adventure, and began seeking out bigger and bigger challenges.
“Anything ambitious can feel out of reach at the beginning. I’m often still amazed at how far I made it,” she said. “If a Punjabi girl from Derby can get to Antarctica, you can go and achieve anything.”
