Reena Kaushal is first Indian woman to ski to South Pole

Reena Kaushal became the first Indian woman to ski to the South Pole.

Ms. Kaushal, 38, settled in Delhi, made the historic ski-run as part 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.