An Indian Express team begins a trek to Siachen and keeps you posted, every day.

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Till a few weeks ago, Dr Kartikeyan was engrossed in the development and trial of India's strategic delivery systems – the Agni series of missiles. Now, more than a thousand kilometers away from the Hyderabad missile complex, he is more interested in maintaining his blood oxygen levels and learning the tricks of surviving extreme temperatures at high altitudes.

The only DRDO representative taking part in the 30 member civilian expedition to Siachen, Kartikeyan is set to become the first missile scientist to walk up the icy heights of the glacier. Other than, of course, former President APJ Kalam, who set foot on the glacier several times but never actually trekked up it.

The nonchalant scientist, who has a PhD degree in Missile battery technologies, was one the first to put in his name for the two slots reserved for DRDO in the Siachen trek this year.

The motivation being to see the working conditions of soldiers for whom he designs missile systems. "As soon as I saw the notice for the trek, I knew that I had to go," Kartikeyan says.

A part of the secretive Advanced Systems Laboratory (ASL), the scientist doesn't want to talk much about his work – other than that he works with the Agni team – but opens up when asked about his background in mountaineering and the reason for his selection for the trek.

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