Members of the expedition at the selection camp in Norway and (above) Reena Kaushal Dharmshaktu

Darjeeling, Sept. 1: Reena Kaushal Dharmshaktu feels as she is no cricket player, the country will not help her create a record.

Despite being selected to represent India in the prestigious eight-member Commonwealth Women’s Antarctic Expedition, Dharmshaktu’s dream of creating a record for the country — of being the first woman from India to ski over 800km of the Antarctica — is steadily evaporating into thin air for want of funds.

“I have approached more than 100 corporate houses and political leaders but none offered to help. I need at least Rs 19 lakh for the expedition. While the rest of the team are busying preparing for the event, I am not even sure of making it (to Antarctica),” Dharmshaktu told The Telegraph over the phone from Delhi.

In fact, Dharmshaktu, who is in 38, left for a 10-day training to New Zealand today. “I need around Rs 5 lakh before I leave for New Zealand as I have to pay some advance money for the cargo. I will probably take a bank loan,” she had said earlier. Ultimately, she did not get the bank loan and had to borrow from friends.

Seven other women from Brunei, Cyprus, Ghana, Jamaica, Singapore, New Zealand and the United Kingdom will once again meet in London on November 1 for another round of training. The team will head to Punta Arenas on the southern tip of Chile during the third week of November to start the expedition which has been organised to mark the 60th anniversary of the Commonwealth.

The team had been selected after a training session in Norway earlier this year. The Darjeeling girl had beaten 27-year-old Aparna Ray from Calcutta to clinch a berth in the expedition to be led by Felicity Aston.

“There were two girls from India but I was selected. For the selection camp, I had been helped (sponsored) by the Indian Mountaineering Foundation but this time, I don’t know what will happen,” said Dharmshaktu.

The freelance mountain trainer whose husband Loveraj Dharmshaktu is an Everester had also approached the ministry of youth affairs along with politicians like Delhi chief minister Sheila Dixit and Darjeeling MP Jaswant Singh. Dharmshaktu is currently settled in Delhi.

“The leaders had only assured me that they would help. The ministry told me that there was no provision to help in this kind of an expedition,” said Dharmshaktu. “Had I been a cricketer, there would have been enough sponsors and even though this expedition is being publicised globally and is a major event, no Indian sponsors have come forward.”

The expedition entails skiing without trained guides in sub-zero temperature with 80 kg of ration and tent slung on the back. “It is a difficult expedition with no air droppings of food and we will have to set up our own tents,” said Dharmshaktu.