Riding on her Dreams

A C Shanti, the 32-year-old mother of two, who had set no boundaries in achieving her dreams has not only set an example to all the women who wish to be independent, but also has made Telangana proud.

She is the member of the four women group who completed the 17, 000 km motorcycle expedition recently. A single mother of two daughters, Shanti works with the police department. She shares her story…

Tell us about yourself

I am a constable from 2004 batch. When I was in my 10th standard, I learnt how to ride a bike. My brothers were very supportive and there was no difference between a boy and a girl in my house.

My elder brother taught me to ride the smaller bike - Hero Puch which was a hand gear bike and then I learnt how to ride Bajaj Boxer. By the time I was in college, I used to travel on my bike. I joined the police department and posted in Begumpet.

I used to ride my bike and go in the uniform to my work place and everyone at work started calling me a tom boy. Few of the ladies disliked the way I used present myself at work and so, I brought an Activa and stopped riding a motor bike in 2007.

In the year 2014, when She Teams started we had a seminar on sexual harassment in a college where a journalist happened to interview me and found out that I ride a bike.

She wanted to know why I stopped riding my bike and insisted I start again. She suggested me to join Hyderabad Bikarni group. In the year 2016 I joined Jaya Bharthi and her group and used to attend all the rides that they conducted.

Tell us about your bike rides?

We conducted bike rides for She Teams, like the Midnight Ride where all the women riders from all over India attended.

This ride was done to demonstrate that Hyderabad is safe for women. It was in the year 2016, we rode from People's Plaza to Charminar.

How did the 40-day biking expedition happen?

Jaya Bharthi observed the way I participated in all the rides and as a leader she approached me to go on a road trip to Kashmir and she also told that it would cost me around 50,000 rupees.

But then I could not afford the trip. Later, when they came back in the month of July I got a call from Jaya again. She mentioned a 40 day trip, which was going to be a free trip and I agreed to it. Then I happened to get information that we will be going to Thailand and that shook me for a while.

I was clueless about how we could go on our bikes. I got my passport done and when I went on this trip, it was on duty for which I did not have to take a leave from my work. This was a lifetime opportunity for me.

How was your experience during the trip?

I was happy that I was going to visit six countries on a bike, but I had the fear of leaving my kids alone as I am a single parent. My family supported me and took care of my children.

My sister had supported me a lot as she told me, it is your dream and you need to make it happen. I started preparing myself mentally. When we started the trip, for about 10 to 15 days we were in and around India.

When we reached the place where we had to cross the border at Myanmar I suddenly started to shiver and cry. It felt like leaving something close to my heart.

I cried for an hour and then, Jaya Bharthi calmed me down. Riding is not just a passion, but it bonds everyone who ride together and so this became part of my family.

What were the challenges during the ride?

I have never happened to ride my bike in highways, so all of a sudden when we entered north; there were lorries that were speeding up on the road.

I was scared to ride my bike. It so happened at one spot that I was struck in between two lorries and then Jaya guided me and the rest of the team shared some tricks to ride on pin turns. Eventually I overcame my fear.

What message would you give to women, who aspire to ride a bike?

I can say just one thing, to learn how to ride is not about riding a huge bike. Even if it is an Activa it is good that you ride it. Few of them get really scared that the bike is heavy and say they cannot ride it.

To them, I would tell that, we only have to sit on it and ride it, it is machine and we should not get scared of it.

I suggest that everyone should learn how to ride a bike and be independent instead of being dependent.