Fame for explorer and physiotherapist Captain Harpreet Chandi, whose motto could be 'no limits!'

Physiotherapist Captain Harpreet Chandi has garnered many well-deserved plaudits and thousands of ‘likes’ and comments on Twitter after announcing that her latest solo expedition to Antarctica has broken records. Her achievements have also been heralded in the national media – from the BBC to Sky News and more. 

In a tweet posted on 19 January, Team Army, the body that provides funding for military sports, announced: ‘We’ve just heard that @Preet Chandi10 has officially broken the record for the longest solo, unsupported, and unassisted polar expedition by any woman in history!

Team Army added: ‘The previous female record was 1,368 km skied by Anja Blacha from Germany in 2019.’

By 19 January, Harpreet – nicknamed Polar Preet – had travelled 868 miles (1,397 km) in temperatures reaching -50C (-58F), skiing from 13-15 hours a day pulling a sledge. The 33-year-old’s goal is to complete a trek of 1,100 miles.

Harpreet did not manage to complete her original aim of becoming the first woman to cross solo and unsupported. She set off from Hercules Inlet in November and hoped to reach Reedy Glacier within 75 days.

Sometimes when we look at certain roles or things in life, it’s easy to think "that’s not for me", or "I could never do that" but there is no limit to what we can achieve [Harpreet Chandi]

But Harpreet did reach the South Pole unaccompanied for the second time in January, a feat that comes on top of a series of notable events that punctuated her life last year. In January 2022 it emerged that she had skied 700 miles across Antarctica in just 40 days, seven hours and three minutes – averaging about 17 miles a day – coming ‘tantalisingly close’ to setting a new world record by a woman on the route.

In that expedition, Harpreet also made history by being the first woman of colour to complete a solo expedition in Antarctica. To see a PhysioUpdate article about that trip click here  

An MBE and an honorary degree in 2022

In June 2022, Harpreet was awarded an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire). The following month, Harpreet, who hails from Sinfin, a suburb of Derby, received an honorary degree from the University of Derby in recognition of her outstanding achievements in endurance performance and her determination to inspire future generations.

In an article appearing on the university’s website, she said: ‘To receive an honorary degree from Derby was great, especially because that’s where I did my access course and also because I’m from Derby.’

Harpreet's journey to graduating in physiotherapy – she studied as St George's, University of London – began with her beginning an access course at Derby, a time when she admitted later to ‘feeling nervous and not very academic’.

The university tweeted: ‘Congratulations to Derby alumni and honorand @PreetChandi10 who has broken the record for the longest solo, unsupported, and unassisted polar expedition by any woman in history.’

'No limits'

When she was 27, Harpreet joined the British Army. Being accepted into the forces was not something she took for granted, she acknowledges in the University of Derby feature, and opened up new horizons.

She said: ‘For someone who didn’t feel that academic, I didn’t think I’d be an officer in the British Army, especially as it’s so competitive. I still remember the phone call I received telling me I had got in.

'Sometimes when we look at certain roles or things in life, it’s easy to think "that’s not for me", or "I could never do that" but there is no limit to what we can achieve.

'I think from having had a lot of people tell me I couldn’t do certain things, I have learnt to not listen to other people and try and continue to do what I want to do.'