“Every step I took was a step toward proving that no challenge is insurmountable.”~ Sudipta Sengupta
Sudipta Sengupta, nearly three decades ago, became the first Indian woman to visit Antarctica in 1983. At that time, women’s participation in mountaineering and similar adventurous activities was almost unheard of. Her groundbreaking journey inspired many younger girls to follow in her footsteps, proving that women could excel in fields traditionally dominated by men.
Sengupta was on the quarrel with the direction of her expedition. Upon traversing the infamous Roaring Forties, she finally reached Antarctica which was filled with floating challenging icebergs, large expanses of ice, and serene and deep blue waters. “Antarctica was like a different earth or just like when you land on another planet so alien to earth”; she exclaims as explaining the beauty of the continent.
Exploration was her occupation ever since she got to Nepal and got training from Tenzing Norgay in the Himalayan Institute, Darjeeling. This training helped her withstand the extreme weather in the course of the expedition, she even lived through the crash of a helicopter. Regarding the hardships that she faced in the course of the journey, Sengupta has been quoted saying; “Every step I made was a step closer towards the fact that nothing is impossible, encapsulating her spirit of struggle, and endurance in short.”
Sengupta has been a professor at Jadavpur University and previously received the award for the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for which her work has mentored many people in geoscience. In the memoir detailing my experiences as a geologist Breaking Rocks and Barriers she explains the barriers that women scientists encounter such as gender stereotyping and managing family and work life.
Sengupta defeated all odds of 78 years and has continued uplifting women in the world of science, in the world of women who has escaped all the barriers that were placed by society. She considers it essential to be tenacious, focused, and inquisitive. “Science is something that you constantly pursue”, she offers. She adds, “When you have faith in your objectives it is possible to accomplish everything, no matter the difficulty.” Because of her legendary figure, she remains an influential advocate for women and exploration in science allowing conquering of all barriers with dedication and enthusiasm.
