Q:
Ma'am, you saved money for your first bike. So what were your feelings when
you bought it and had your ride on it?
A: I saved it for a 150 CC actually, My
dad added some money and I got a 250 CC. Riding a motor cycle was always on my
mind and I had waited for 6 years. I had my first ride when I was in the 9th
grade. Riding has always thrilled and having my own motorcycle was even better.
It was also like a therapy for me as I was going through a rough patch. It was fantastic.
Q: People usually have stereotypical mindset when it comes to women riding
motorcycles. Can you share with us an incident that first revealed to you this
adverse mindset?
A: OK, there have been really good
incidences and some bad incidences, as such. I would like to share one of the
good ones. There are more than 100 girls riding motorcycles in Delhi itself, but it’s a very a rare sight, a girl
riding a sports bike. Once I was at the traffic red light and a student in a
school bus started shouting "Arrey Arrey
Arrey Didi Didi Didi, please lift the visor ",and the whole
bus started shouting and the students started clapping. They really got excited
and then all people in the cars, bikes, everyone there started looking at me, everyone
gave way to me to move forward and that was really nice.
Q:Ma'am your family, except your father,
was not very supportive with regards to your passion. So what gave you the
courage to go on despite that?
A: Not really the family, but the
friends and society, they were not really okay with me riding a motorcycle. My
parents were really supportive, whatever the obstacles that came, my father
used to say that, let my daughter do whatever she wants to do.
Q: I believe your fathers bike must have
been the first one which you rode, so what role has he played in your life?
A:
My dad has been like a role model to me. Not just in the biking but I
have learned everything from him. Biking is like in my genes, because my mother
was also enthusiastic about cars and speed. So I think that’s the combination I got.
Q: When you have girls come up to you
and praise you for your work, how does it feel to have them look upon you as
their role model?
A: It feels fantastic, it feels great, and
sometimes I feel demotivated, but when I see those girls who started riding
bikes after seeing me,. Moreover I also
ride bikes for a cause that is education for girls. So all these gives me good vibes and motivates me to carry
on.
Q: People have given you the title of
‘hijabi biker’. So what is your take on it?
A: Hijab is a very wide concept. To be recognized
as a hijabi biker is very great. But I don’t say that I am a hijabi biker.
Q: What profession line would you like
to carry on in future?
A: I will like to carry on my passion
further, that is motorcycling. Whatever
studies I am currently pursuing, are
for my own interest. I would like to become alma, that is a Islamic scholar who preaches.
Q: It is very difficult to pursue both
your passion and studies. So how do you maintain balance between the two?
A: I try juggling my passion and studies
together, by riding to my college on my bike , as my college is 20 km away from
my home. So that becomes quite a good ride for me, riding 40 kms a day.
Q: What are some of the changes that you
like to see in mentality of a common people.
What is your message to the community?
A: Society has always been stereotype,
mean , conservative and oppressed . Changes
that I would like to see in them is that
not judge a book by its cover and as I said in ted talk Don’t judge me by what
I am wearing, my external attire and all
. My motorcycle don’t discriminate. So
why are we discriminating. My bike just knows my skills and it does not
know who is under the helmet. My message is for the family and their
parents just keep supporting your child and
they will surely succeed one day.
Credits
Reporters: Vishakha Gupta and Ritika Agarwal
Photographer: Mahima Gupta
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