She Rides, City Stares: Kolkata's Women Claim the Road

Kolkata's women bikers are asserting their presence on the roads, challenging the perception that motorcycling is exclusively a male domain. These riders, including a travel agency owner, a sales manager, a teacher who conquered Ladakh, and an engineering student, navigate daily life and long journeys with resilience.

They frequently encounter surprise, unsolicited advice, and dismissive questions about their capabilities. Navneet Kaur, a multi-tasking rider, highlights the need for everyday infrastructure like clean restrooms, advocating that women's passion for petrol is as valid as any other.

Srijita Roy Chowdhury notes progress in women's participation but stresses that equality is far from achieved. She recounts personal experiences of harassment, including being deliberately run off the road, underscoring the serious challenges female riders face. Both she and Dapinder Kaur Gill call for better-designed riding gear and support systems for women.

The experiences of Sohini De and Bidisha Shit further illustrate this growing community, with Bidisha often seen riding in a saree. Ankita Kar, an aeronautical engineer, emphasizes that the real change is internal; riding has built her confidence and self-reliance. Her simple plea to the city is to stop being surprised, signifying that true equality will arrive when women riders are a normalized part of the urban landscape.