Preet Chandi

She is the first known woman of colour to finish a solo expedition to reach the South Pole. She finished her expedition on 3 January 2022.

Preet Chandi
Born	Harpreet Chandi 1988/1989 (age 34–35) Derby, England
Nationality	United Kingdom
Other names	"Polar Preet"
Occupation	physiotherapist
Employer	British Army
Known for	first woman of colour to complete a solo expedition to reach the South Pole
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	2008–present
Rank	Captain
Unit	Royal Army Medical Corps

Chandi joined the Army Reserves when she was 19 and then the British Army at 27. On 23 March 2013, she was a lance corporal. She received a Territorial Army commission as a lieutenant in the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC). She was promoted to captain on 15 December 2016.

She was commissioned into the Army Reserves in 2012 and joined the Regular Army in 2016.

Chandi began her solo expedition on 7 November 2021, leaving from Antarctica's Hercules Inlet. The journey to the South Pole involved travelling a distance of 700 miles (1,100 km). Chandi was not the first woman to successfully complete a solo expedition to the South Pole, with the journey first being undertaken by Norway's Liv Arnesen. It was not until 1935 that the first woman, Caroline Mikkelsen walked on any part of the Antarctic continent.

Chandi completed her journey in 40 days, 7 hours and 3 minutes, making her the third fastest solo woman to reach the South Pole, behind Johanna Davidsson of Sweden and Hannah McKeand from Great Britain. Felicity Aston was the first solo woman and first person to only use muscle power to complete the challenge taking 59 days.