How did your interest in bike riding and racing start and when?
It was just a spark. When I was in my 9th standard, the boys in my street started riding bikes and learning to ride gear bikes. I too wanted to try my hand at it but they told me girls should not ride bikes and stick to scooters. That triggered me and I started learning. Later, I finished my schooling and got my license at 18 and started riding across India. I got a job at Royal Enfield as Ride Co-ordinator and my job was to take different customers to different places every weekend. During the First & Second Year of college, I started doing this job and this helped me financially and connected to my passion.

When did you start racing?
I started riding across India and Tamil Nadu, I was in few men’s riding clubs and I was the only woman there. After some time, they cited safety concerns and they removed me from there. It was then I got to know about racing and started learning about this in 2016. I went to Rider Mania organized by Royal Enfield where there is a 500 CC category that women can ride. It was an off-road race and I was placed third. I was the only one from South India, so when I won that, it gave me the confidence to get into racing. This made me venture into circuit racing which is performed on a separate track of around 3.5 to 5 kms. There is one in Chennai, Madras International Circuit at Sriperumbudur, and others in Coimbatore and Delhi. I started circuit racing in 2017 but did not get selected, later I put in the hard work needed. I worked many jobs, balanced it with college, earned the money and did the preparation, 2018 was the first time I went for the National Championship and the full support was given by my coach Sharath Kumar.

Tell us about your coach?
I am being coached by Sharath Kumar, the first Indian to represent at the World Motorcycle Championship Race. My coach is an inspiration for women and men racing in India. He trained with lot of world championship racers previously and I trained under him.

What does your training involve?
I do a lot of physical activity to strengthen the body such as gym and workouts, maintain diets, run and cycle. I can’t go for training every day since it’s expensive and the track won’t be available every day. I only practice weekly once or monthly twice on weekends. Those who can afford it practice more often.

What is your family background like and what is the kind of support they have given you?
I live with a single parent, my mother. She used to work for a leather company where she designed handbags. I have a younger sister who is a freelance photographer. Initially, I did not get any financial support from my family due to my family situation and did not ask them also. I went for a lot of jobs and I supported my career. I got moral support from my mother.

As a woman did you face a lot of skepticism?
Initially, since it’s a male-dominated sport, I faced challenges being a woman. I have received a lot of criticism and haters, no one supported me initially saying it’s a costly sport. They would tell me that it’s a sport for those who can afford it and not those from your kind of background. However, I took it as a challenge and started racing. If someone challenges us, we must take it to the next level and I was determined to race and did it. Similarly, they said I could not achieve anything in politics. Financially I was not strong and neither was my family background but education was my strength.

What are the awards you have received?
I have won 50+ awards from various organizations, colleges, institutions, companies and NGOs but the recent awards I received were from Sports Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin for doing a good F4 Bike Parade for racing and a Wonder Woman Award from We Wonder Woman.

What is your capacity as a politician and what does the post you hold entail?
Currently, I hold the post of State Deputy Secretary for Sports Development Wing DMK. Our Secretary is Dayanidhi Maran, MP. Initially, I hesitated to get into politics but I felt that by getting into it I could gain a lot of influence. I have empowered many people and being with a 75-year-old organization such as the DMK can help develop sports. I am doing a lot and ensuring that Government sports schemes are reaching a lot of people.

What are the key projects you are involved in?
I started a Women Motorsports Club across India so to empower women to ride a bike and now have 1000+ members. I want all women to ride and this I feel will make them physically and mentally fit. Through this I ha have done many awareness programs such as Breast Cancer Awareness, Road Safety Awareness, Hepatitis Awareness, how to drive on a race track and so on. I have also partnered with NGOs on awareness on environment, pollution and so on. Breast Cancer Awareness is a key project because many women are unaware.

Do you feel that being so young comes with its challenges?
Sometimes, I take up a project when I go to talk to them, they say you are so young, they try to dominate. However, I have overcome that and want to do more. Things are changing though, now there are many who support because of my youth saying it’s an inspiration.

Have you biked with celebs?
I have not rode with celebrity bikers but I wish to drive with Ajith Sir, this has been a long-time dream.

Tell us about one of your adventurous trips?
Everything in a bike is an adventure trip, I had gone to Himachal Pradesh solo. It was off road and being at a 4000 ft height was a different level experience.

Tell us about the biking club and how women can become bikers?
My biking club was started in 2020 and the club’s motive is to guide women to become bikers and spread awareness of social issues. Women can become bikers if they have a passion, right from learning to ride, we guide women. All aspiring women bikers, at the beginning have a small hesitation whether they can handle bikes especially big bikes. Everybody can do everything, if you mentally think you can do it, you can achieve everything. When you drive, drive safe and confidently. Be fearless. Come out of your comfort zone and believe that you can achieve. It’s just a machine, you can easily bring it to your control.

What are your future plans?
My future plans are to make my club a bigger organization and expand. The next year, our 5th anniversary is coming up and my goal is to bring together 5000 bikers. My future plan is to do my best for sports through my political career and bring in more women especially sportswomen into politics.