Eighteen-year-old Kaamya Karthikeyan, daughter of a serving Indian Navy officer, has etched her name in the record books by becoming the youngest Indian and
the second-youngest woman in the world to ski to the South Pole. In an official post on X, the Indian Navy said Kaamya successfully reached the South Pole on December 27, 2025, after braving some of the harshest conditions on the planet. She covered nearly 60 nautical miles (around 115 km) on foot from 89° South, enduring temperatures plunging to -30 degrees Celsius and battling gale-force winds, all while pulling a sledge loaded with her full expedition gear. “The #IndianNavy congratulates Ms Kaamya Karthikeyan, 18-year-old daughter of a naval officer and alumna of Navy Children School, who scripted history yet again by becoming the youngest Indian and the second-youngest female in the world to ski to the South Pole,” the Navy said. Kaamya, a student of Navy Children School, Mumbai, is no stranger to high-altitude and extreme expeditions. At just 16 years of age, she became the youngest Indian and the world’s second-youngest girl to summit Mount Everest from the Nepal side, a feat she accomplished alongside her father, Commander S. Karthikeyan. The achievement was confirmed earlier by the Western Naval Command. Having already completed the Seven Summits Challenge, which involves climbing the highest peak on all seven continents, Kaamya is now on a mission to achieve the coveted Explorers Grand Slam, an elite adventure milestone that combines summiting the seven continental peaks with skiing to both the North and South Poles. Calling her a “mountaineering prodigy,” the Navy said Kaamya’s journey stands as an inspiration for young Indians to push beyond perceived limits. “Kaamya’s extraordinary achievement is sure to inspire many of her generation to push beyond their boundaries,” the statement said, while wishing her “fair winds and clear skies” as she sets her sights on the North Pole, the final leg of her ambitious quest.
