Sikkim's Manita Pradhan conquers Antarctica’s Mount Vinson, completes sixth Seven Summit

Manita Pradhan has scaled Mount Vinson Massif in Antarctica, becoming one of the few Indian women to reach the continent’s highest peak and moving within one climb of completing the prestigious Seven Summits challenge.

The summit was achieved on December 12, at 8.30 pm local time, after days of climbing in sub-zero conditions. With this ascent, Pradhan has now completed six of the seven continental high points, leaving Mount Kosciuszko in Australia as the final objective of her global mountaineering project.

The expedition began on December 1, when Pradhan departed from Gangtok, Sikkim, embarking on a long international journey to Antarctica via New York and Punta Arenas, Chile. She reached Punta Arenas on December 4, where the team spent two days acclimatising and completing logistical preparations essential for Antarctic travel.

From Chile, the climbers flew to Union Glacier Camp, the main logistical hub for mountaineering expeditions in Antarctica, before moving on to Mount Vinson Base Camp. The environment presented immediate challenges, with extreme cold, high winds and vast icy terrain defining the approach and preparation phase.

The summit push began on December 10, 2025. Temperatures dropped to minus 31 degrees Celsius, with strong winds and steep ice slopes testing both physical endurance and mental resilience. Despite these conditions, Pradhan successfully completed the ascent after several days on the mountain.

Although flags are not permitted on the summit under expedition regulations, she displayed a flag marking the 50th Statehood of Sikkim at base camp, highlighting her connection to her home state during the expedition.

The Vinson ascent marks a significant moment in Pradhan’s mountaineering career and places her among a small group of Indian climbers to have summited on all but one of the world’s seven continental peaks. Her final climb, Mount Kosciuszko, will complete the Seven Summits circuit.

The expedition was supported by international logistics teams operating in Antarctica, who managed transport and safety in one of the most remote environments on the planet.