Polar explorer Preet Chandi to speak at Indi Setu thought leadership summit in London

Dr Amit Ghose, Kolkata-based consultant urologist and founding director of the Global Collaboration Forum spearheading the Indi Setu, confirmed the participation of Polar Preet in the summit.

"We are excited that she has agreed to be a part of the leadership summit where we are having sessions on climate change and conservation," Dr. Ghose told IBNS.

Chandi rose to prominence in January 2022 when she became the first woman of colour to complete a solo expedition across Antarctica to the South Pole.

A year later, she recorded the longest-ever solo and unsupported polar expedition, cementing her place among the world’s leading explorers.

Born in Derby into a Sikh Punjabi family, Chandi was the first in her family to earn a university degree, graduating in physiotherapy in 2012 before commissioning into the British Army.

She has since served on large-scale exercises and deployments in Nepal, Kenya and South Sudan, where she also organised a 30-hour endurance event to raise money for charity.

Her passion for endurance challenges began in her late teens, when she progressed from marathons to ultra-marathons and international climbing expeditions across the Alps, Andes, Himalayas and beyond.

Her polar journeys, she has said, were fuelled by a determination to push boundaries and redefine what is possible.

Appointed a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2022, Chandi has often spoken about the barriers faced by women of South Asian heritage in pursuing unconventional paths.

“If a Punjabi girl from Derby can get to Antarctica, you can go and achieve anything,” she has said.

Indi Setu 2025

IndiSetu, a two-day thought leadership summit, will be held in London this year, aiming to foster enduring partnerships and celebrate cultural diplomacy with a special focus on India-UK synergies.

It will revolve around the inclusive theme of “innovation and collaboration” and aims to evolve into an annual cultural and networking festival.

The first day of the summit will feature an award ceremony at the House of Lords, London, to honour visionaries from across the world.

The second day will include a series of conversations, presentations, pitches, and a concert at the British Medical Association House.

At Indi Setu 2025, she is expected to share insights from her extraordinary expeditions and highlight the role of resilience and collaboration in tackling global challenges.