Reena Kaushal Dharmshaktu
Reena Kaushal Dharmshaktu is the first Indian woman to ski to the South Pole.About
Dharmshaktu was born into a Hindu family from Punjab. Her father was a Punjabi while her mother was from Uttar Pradesh. She grew up in Darjeeling. She attended mountaineering courses at the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute in Darjeeling. She has taken part in and led several expeditions in the Himalayas. She has been on IMF expeditions to Gangotri 1, the first ascent of Argan Kangri, Fluted Peak, Stock Kangri, Phawararang, Mt Nun and others. Her husband, Love Raj Singh Dharmshaktu is also a successful mountaineer, who has reached the summit of Mount Everest six times, besides climbing more than 38 other peaks. She is currently a freelance instructor with the US-headquartered National Outdoor Leadership Schools that teaches outdoor skills to people.Achievements
On 29 December 2009, Dharmshaktu made the historic ski-run as part of an eight-woman Commonwealth team which crossed a 900 kilometer Antarctic ice trek to reach the South Pole, marking 60th anniversary of the founding of the Commonwealth. She was selected from among 800 applicants and are from Brunei, Cyprus, Ghana, India, Jamaica, Singapore, New Zealand and the UK.
