Bengaluru Veteran, 76, Conquers Arctic Expedition and Polar Plunge

Speedy Summary

• expedition Details: Lt. Col. (Retd) O.P.N. Kalyan, a 76-year-old ex-Army officer from Bengaluru, successfully completed an expedition to the North Pole and Arctic between August 22 and September 1, 2025.
• Previous Experience: After retiring from the Indian Army Service Corps (ASC), he had previously visited Antarctica in 2024 and fulfilled his long-time ambition of exploring both polar regions.
• Journey: The expedition began in longyearbyen, Norway on the ship Polar Quest with a group of 48 people. Zodiac boats were used to visit various islands such as Smeerenburg, Virgohamna islands, and Nordre Russoya islands during extremely cold conditions with temperatures as low as two degrees Celsius.
• Significant Feat: On August 30, Lt. Col. Kalyan performed a Polar Plunge into the Arctic Ocean where water temperature measured minus two degrees Celsius.
• Additional Role Post-Retirement: He served for 15 years as curator at the ASC Museum in Bengaluru.

Indian Opinion Analysis

Lt. Col. (Retd) O.P.N. Kalyan’s remarkable achievement highlights India’s growing engagement with exploration endeavors transcending geographical boundaries-including potentially dangerous environments like polar regions-which showcases individual resilience and global curiosity among Indian adventurers even post-retirement age.His dual expeditions to both poles could signify inspiration for younger generations or help reinforce interest within India about ecological studies or adventure tourism opportunities associated with these areas witnessing severe climate challenges globally AN!. Read more :👉