It is a modern fairytale of sorts, only here there isn't a damsel in distress waiting for Prince Charming. Oh no, this princess prefers cruising down dust-covered tracks and breathing in the air of freedom, focusing on a checkered cloth waving frantically in the distance. For third-year Law student and motorcycle racer Deepika Sriram, breaking gender stigma and battling the ideas attached to what is considered a ‘manly’ sport have always been on her to-do list. And what better way to slay societal stereotypes and crush misogyny than by doing what you love?
While racing has always been a passion, her wheels took life earlier this year. Deepika credits a lot to her academy, the Honda Ten10 Academy, where one day of practise with expert riders taught her a lot and familiarised her with the technicalities. But while some like the wheels and others the feels, there is something about the freedom that comes with the machine that pumps blood in her feminine veins. To Deepika, the sport is her dose of adrenaline and everything about it is a pill of excitement. "It is a beautiful feeling to put your leather on and sit on your motorcycle seconds before the race," she says.
In India, where the division of genders and gender-appropriate sports is still a harsh reality, racing a bike is probably on the list of things a good Indian girl shouldn’t do. But her family's acceptance of her passion has been immense and is reflective of the slow yet gradual progress in the minds confined to society's archaic laws. Her grandmother, who initially pleaded with her not to race, now prays for her success."It was a rather beautiful transition that I did not see coming," she says.
However, she also credits a lot of support to the academy and sponsors and admits that while the racing circuit still sees men in large numbers, India has plenty of women racers. She further adds that the support for aspiring racers is immense and hopes women get encouraged further to persue the sport.
"It is nice to see that manufacturers understand how difficult it can be for aspiring women racers to get financial support from home, while they're still in college," she says.
But with that said, the bias in the Indian mind for anything that is not cricket is still rife. But hope springs eternal for Deepika, who hopes that one day motorcycle racing gets the national recognition it deserves. However, there is always a villain in every tale and society seems to be a recurring character. She's been hit by the classic "who will marry you now" and “you're good but not good enough”, courtesy society. But turning all that negative banter into something that drives her closer to proving and excelling at her job is something Deepika has now taken in her stride.
Breaking lap-time is the least of this biker’s worries. Being a woman in what has always been considered a man's area of expertise can be brutal for the faint-hearted, but haters gonna hate, and Deepika feels she neither has the time nor energy for haters or their hate.
As long as misogyny exists, comments will be passed. All that we have to do is channel the negativity and work hard. Us girls will get there soon, she says, with a confidence that does not waver like the checkered flag in the distance.
And in a world where young girls have taken gender inequality head on and are fighting everyday battles just to get the freedom to be, the question in a once famous advertisement comes to mind, probably more significant now than before — Why should boys have all the fun?
