Women are just as passionate about riding as men are, and these ten amazing Indian women riders are living examples of this every day. These women come from a variety of backgrounds—from actors to defense personnel—but they all have a passion for motorcycles.
As women persist in breaking down barriers in sectors that have historically been controlled by males, gender roles are changing and going against social norms and expectations. Many Indian women are embracing biking, which was traditionally thought to be a masculine activity, dispelling outdated beliefs.
These pioneers riding powerful bikes and competing at top speeds are making incredible strides in the world of biking.
Today, we will honor influential Indian women riders and their riding experiences. Their love for the sport will inspire you to follow your goals despite social norms.
10 Influential Indian Women Riders and Their Bikes
1. Gul Panag – Actor
The former Miss India is a producer, actor, pilot, and motorcycle rider, among other titles. She is among the few well-known Bollywood women who have a strong love of riding. Panag began riding at the age of 17, and she hasn’t stopped since. She even included riding to her wedding, taking her passion for the sport to new heights! Panag’s husband drove the Royal Enfield Bike while she sat in the sidecar, replacing her customary doli.
2. Jyoti Mehta – Airforce Officer
Jyoti Mehta, Group Captain, believes that riding a motorbike is “not just about speed and tricks.” Mehta began riding as a youth and now says, “It has taught me patience, acceptance, and equanimity.” Mehta is an Indian Air Force officer.
Mehta gained confidence in her ability to overcome obstacles and navigate new routes by riding, which helped her become more independent. She had a hard start, though, as her bike broke down during the National Thunderbolt Motorcycle Rally, and she had to drag it across roughly five or six km of hilly terrain. Mehta told Travel + Leisure India and South Asia (T+L), “But this incident instilled in me the confidence that I had the strength, skills, and ability to face whatever challenges lay ahead in the future.”
3. Jesslina Nayyar – Model & Actor
In an interview, Nayyar said, “I just combine the two because acting and modelling as a profession involve a lot of travelling, and so does biking!” Bringing her love of riding into her work. She always rides her bike to any place, whether it’s for a shoot or an audition.
At eighteen, she developed a passion for riding. “I’ve always wanted to become a motorbike rider. You can travel anywhere you want to when you ride,” she said. She used to ride her friends’ motorbikes from Noida to Gurgaon for hours at a time before she bought her own. Her buddies would ride as a pillion.
She got the opportunity to combine her love of riding with her job as a model when she starred in a Royal Enfield commercial. Having ridden for more than eight years, Nayyar makes sure she makes time for her love by dedicating a few days to it, she disclosed.
4. Priya Puri – Golf Instructor
Puri had always wanted to ride a bike, but she didn’t have any role models in her community. In her capacity as a golf instructor and golf academy owner, she taught students from a variety of backgrounds.
Puri’s buddy Dev Amritesh used to relate his biking stories to her during golf sessions, which made her want to take up riding. She repeatedly expressed her desire for the same experience, and Amritesh pushed her to go for it. This prompted her to inquire, “How?” Puri struggled with this issue, as do many would-be riders until her buddy told her about a riding school. In just four sessions, she was ready to go after her passion.
Puri, who had only been riding for a short while, took a risk and traveled to Ladakh to ride a bike and explore the Zanskar Valley. She recalled, “It was thrilling to traverse new ground in Zanskar and push myself to master new riding techniques.”
Puri works nonstop for 6–8 weeks to satisfy her enthusiasm for riding before taking a vacation on a bike trip. She finds a way to organize her schedule so she may follow her passion, even though it’s not always possible.
5. Anita Krishnan – Tour Captain
Krishnan is a successful full-time rider and part-time model who has made a successful profession out of her love of horses. She leads over 15 excursions across India as a Women’s Expedition Tour Captain for Two Wheeled Expeditions, a company that caters to bike aficionados on two-wheeled adventures.
She also holds the position of president of the Women’s International Motorcycling Association’s division in India. After more than eight years of training, Krishnan set out on her most difficult ride across the Himalayas, minus 10 degrees Celsius, through snow and black ice.
6. Dr Neharika Yadav – Dental Surgeon
Dr. Neharika Yadav leads a remarkable double life as a superbike racer and a dental surgeon. She works as a dentist in Gurgaon during the week and spends her weekends at the Buddh International Circuit as a Ducati Factory Racer.
Dr. Yadav has amassed an impressive following of 212,000 on Instagram, making her an online inspiration to many who her extraordinary journey has touched. She persevered in following her love of riding superbikes in spite of hardships, including a vehicle accident in 2005 that left her right hand with only 50% of its normal range of motion.
Racing at up to 275 km/h, Dr. Yadav hopes to increase the number of female riders on the racing grid and to encourage more women to take part in the sport that men primarily play.
7. Aishwarya Pissay – Off-Road Motorcycle Racer
Aishwarya Pissay has an outstanding record as an 11-time National Road Racing and Rally Champion. She is the first Indian motorsport athlete to win a world title. Pissay had to forge her route because, at first, she found it difficult to locate female role models in the male-dominated world of motorsports despite her prominence in the industry.
In Pissay’s career, switching from circuit road racing to off-road racing was a pivotal point. Her racing career did not, however, come without difficulties. She suffered a severe collision during a race that caused her pancreatic to burst, necessitating a month-long recuperation period and her retirement from the rest of the season.
Rather than seeing it as a loss, Pissay used the time to plan for the upcoming racing season. The next year, in Hungary, she emerged victorious in the women’s division of the FIM Baja World Cup, demonstrating her tenacity.
8. Priyanka Kochchar – Content Creator
Prior to turning her platform, “Bike With Girl,” into a full-time cycling blog, Priyanka Kochhar worked as an anchor producer and editorial model. Even though Kochhar didn’t have any bike experience growing up, he became deeply passionate about it when his career was uncertain. Her newfound interest was met with a lot of criticism because she came from a conservative background.
In order to understand new motorcycles and their mechanics, Kochhar immersed herself in YouTube videos before starting her bicycling adventure. She started borrowing bikes from friends and posting her adventures on Instagram after learning a little bit. Kochhar has amassed an impressive fan base of 390,000 on YouTube and over 1.2 million on Instagram thanks to her novel technique of trying out a new bike every day.
9. Roshni Misbah – Business Owner
As a college student riding her bike to and from university while wearing a headscarf in 2017, Roshni Misbah attracted a lot of attention while completing her post-graduation in Arab-Islamic Culture at the Jamia Millia Islamia University in Delhi. Known as the “Hijabi biker,” Misbah persevered in spite of social censure.
Misbah, who comes from a family of Islamic scholars, disregarded social expectations in order to follow her love of riding. She became well-known after receiving extensive media coverage for her unwavering resolve to defy expectations while upholding her moral principles. But Misbah aspires to encourage women to follow their aspirations despite cultural obstacles, refusing to be limited by the term “hijabi biker.”
Nowadays, Misbah owns her own company that specializes in sports bikes and superbikes and acts as an inspiration for women who are afraid to follow their dreams because of social or cultural norms.
10. Pooja Rajput – Naval Officer
When not enlisted in the Indian Navy, Commander Pooja Rajput is often seen riding a motorbike along India’s coasts. Having ridden for more than 20 years, Rajput views long-distance riding as an “unwinding process.” It gives her clarity and sharpens her focus on her work by enabling her to detach from the outside world and reconnect with herself.
Rajput set off on a solo journey covering more than 2000 km from Goa to Mangalore, Muzhappilangad, Ooty, Coonoor, Calicut, Moodabidri, Karwar, and back to Goa in order to assess the safety of female motorcyclists and encourage them to ride fearlessly. Even while the trip presented challenges like damaged roads and spotty internet, it made her more determined. Aspiring female riders are advised by Rajput to “follow your heart…everything else will fall into place.”
