Andheri resident Vaidehi Venkateswaran had a chance to do what few people can — spend a year in the icy continent. We speak with the only female general surgeon from the most recent Indian expedition to the continent
A group of Emperor Penguins in Antarctica. Pics Courtesy/NCPOR; Vaidehi Venkateswaran
Imagine walking out on a sheet of ice, looking up at the sky, and spotting the sun and moon simultaneously in the middle of the night. Dr Vaidehi Venkateswaran knows that feeling. “I physically cried when I landed in Antarctica, I had been thinking about it for so long,” she admits. As part of the 44th Indian Scientific Expedition to Antarctica (ISEA) helmed by the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), Venkateswaran was the only female medical officer on the Indian contingent for a whole year till she returned on December 15, 2025.
The PistenBully used by the team to travel over the ice
Good timing
The conversation begins with the most obvious question —how does one apply to work as part of an expedition to Antarctica? “It began in 2015 when I was at a student forum, and a teacher of mine spoke about her own participation as part of an expedition. It sparked a curiosity,” she reveals. In early 2024, Venkateswaran submitted her official application to NCPOR. “It was good timing. They were beginning to invite applicants for the expedition,” she shares.
A view of the auroras in the sky
What followed was a rigorous course of interview rounds, including acclimatisation training at the Indo-Tibetan Border Police. In November 2024, she joined members from Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the Geological Survey of India (GSI), and the Indian Meteorology Department (IMD), among others, as part of the expedition.
“For a girl from Mumbai who had never seen snow, I was amazed that the plane landed on a sheet of ice. Also, when I landed, it was Polar Day (daylight for 24 hours). I could see the sun and the moon in the night sky. This was the closest I could get to an out-of-earth experience,” the doctor says.
More than a medic
Though she was part of a medical team of two doctors and a nurse, Venkateswaran shares that the job was more than just medicine. Once the resupply ship drops off rations and fuels and leaves in February, the expedition is on its own. Without mobile networks and limited internet connectivity, radio is the only means of local contact. “There are only 24 people on the station in Winter, and it is so quiet. Winter depression can set in,” she explains.
As a member of the medical team, Venkateswaran would join field visits to ensure safety
Naturally, birthday celebrations, Christmas and festivities are taken seriously; as are Independence Day and Republic Day — we hoist the National Flag with much pride, she reveals — to keep morale high. “Most people will only be on the continent once in their lifetime, after all,” the 31-year-old says.
Every morning, the team would check in for a meeting, and be assigned tasks. A member of the medical team would accompany the team on every field visit. “You learn to multitask, beyond your specialty. We learned to sew gloves though there are always spares, or apply desi jugaad when the need arises,” Venkateswaran shares.
Some of the research activities included — stake measurement on the continental ice to study the patterns of ice gain and loss; measurement of sea ice thickness; the station also provided launch support for the NISAR satellite launch. “In winter, the Southern Ocean around the continent freezes. You can walk on ice that is 1-1.5 metres deep. There are no landmarks or vegetation. So, it is easy to get lost. You have to always carry a GPS to find your way back.”
An unforgettable adventure
Antarctica is home to penguins. But sadly, the Andheri resident stayed away from them. “We are strictly told not to interact with the wildlife on the continent. The animals, particularly Adélie Penguins, can get very curious since they do not view humans as predators,” she says.
A view of the base station
While she waits for a debrief in the coming year, the doctor is still coming to terms with the once-in-a-lifetime experience. She misses the stillness and quiet on the continent. It also reminds us of the common humanity. She says, “During winter, apart from the three stations (Indian, Russian and Chinese), there is no one else for thousands of kilometres. The teams lend a hand to each other in emergencies,” she says, adding a warning ignored by sci-fi filmmakers, “You cannot survive Antarctica solo.” It’s something we forget easily.
She says, “If you’re familiar with the movie Paa, there is a scene where Amitabh Bachchan’s character creates this plain, white globe. He calls it a world that has no borders, wars, or divisions. Antarctica is like that. White, pristine, but just as dangerous.”
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