Antarctica by Sudipta Sengupta [Hardcover]

Antarctica—the last discovered continent, hidden at the bottom of the Earth. A land of blizzards, the coldest, driest, highest, and most inaccessible continent on the planet. The ancient Greeks imagined a mythical southern land, which they named Antarktikos, meaning "opposite to the constellation of the Great Bear." One day, that mythical land became a reality with the arrival of humans. Antarctica—the long-unknown continent whose mysterious allure has repeatedly drawn explorers away from their homes. Some spent years searching across its ice-bound seas, while others met heroic deaths reminiscent of Greek tragedies. Some set sail on ships, while others drifted on ice floes. Antarctica—the enigmatic, ice-covered continent where humans first set foot nearly 150 years ago. Since then, the relentless effort to unveil its mysteries has continued. Today, many of the world's leading nations have established research stations there, and India is among them. India’s research station in Antarctica is named Dakshin Gangotri. In India’s third Antarctic expedition, Dr. Sudipta Sengupta—the first Bengali woman scientist—was among the team. An internationally acclaimed geologist, she shares the extraordinary experiences of that expedition in this book. The narrative is so gripping that it must be heard with bated breath. But this book is not just a meticulous diary of her firsthand experiences—it answers every question about Antarctica. From the earliest speculations to the present-day explorations, she chronicles everything about this frozen world. Through the eyes of a scientist yet with the pen of rare literary talent, she transforms words into vivid moving images—engaging, lively, rich in detail, and deeply informative. A documentary in literary form. When first published serially in Desh magazine, this work created a sensation. Now, in its refined book form, it is further enriched with numerous color photographs, black-and-white images, and charts, making it even more captivating.