Since ages, sports has been an immensely important part of the Indian culture. Often perceived as a religion in certain cases, sports have majorly been a male-dominated profession. However, a major paradigm shift has been observed in recent times, with more and more women breaking barriers in this socially orthodox country. Sportswomen are powerhouses and have been bringing accolades to the country galore. Motorsport has been no exception to this progressive change, with rapid growth in the number of female racers, engineers and even team principals. Even though motorsport is in its developing phase in the country, it is progressing steadily with women racers pursuing this sport as a career and striving to push boundaries and prove their mettle.
Crushing all stereotypes in the Indian scenario of motorsports and the general perception of female drivers, these women racers are perseverant, passionate, swift and inspiring in many ways possible. Having been subjected to a world of high reliance on men at every stage of their lives, these women have managed to balance their professional and personal lives with élan. Women belonging to diverse backgrounds have also begun pioneering into this otherwise unconventional profession, bringing about a difference in people’s mindsets and motivating other women to get past the hurdles and pursue their dreams.
For instance, Delhi-based super mom Garima Avtar is an accomplished rally racing driver who has won tons of championships including the Indian Rally Championship, the Mughal Rally, and the Raid de Himalaya, etc. The Dabas sisters—Neha and Ria—started their professional racing careers together in late 2015 with the JK Tyre Rotax Karting Championship followed by the Volkswagen Vento Cup. The sisters were the only ones to make it to the race upon being selected from a total of 550 entries received that year. These women have been setting benchmarks in their professional lives, thereby becoming role models for thousands like them scattered all over the country.
High-profile tournaments such as India’s only one-make motorsport series Volkswagen Motorsport India’s touring race car series—VW Ameo Cup is an example of encouraging female participation to a remarkable extent. Since its inception, VW Ameo Cup aims to bring the best of skilled drivers to the forefront as they gain an enriching experience. While the road to absolute acceptance and success is long and rocky, every female driver aspires to be known not for her gender preconceptions but for her accomplishments in the field of her chosen sport.