Global Warming Expedition
Eight women representing five continents are planning to reach the South Pole in time to mark the 60th anniversary of the Commonwealth.
The group is planning to trek an enormous 800km (500 miles) on a small scale of time-six weeks, braving temperatures of -30°C to reach the heart of Antarctica! This special expedition will be dedicated to raising awareness of the seriousness of Global Warming.
The team will be led by British expeditioner, Felicity Aston, 31, who has spent 3 years living and working in the Antarctic and who previously led the first British Womens crossing of Greenland. Ms Aston chose women from India, Cyprus, Ghana, Singapore, Brunei, New Zealand and Jamaica- a great international effort!
Some of the women coming from underdeveloped areas had never seen snow before the practice session in Norway. Reena Kaushal Dharmashakthu, 38, of Delhi is the only South Asian woman on the team. She will be taking the title as the first Indian woman to reach the South Pole.
She quoted: "It is a distant dream come true. My participation will be a huge step forward towards empowering women in South Asia, where women are far from being treated as equals."
By Sukhveer and Gurdas