Three women fond of motorcycling joined hands to send out a message ‘be bold for change’ to women across the cities and towns between Puducherry and Kolkata, also called as the east coast of the golden quadrilateral, an almost 2,500-km ride.
Three days ago, the trio — 49-year-old retired teacher Vaishali Kulkarni from Visakhapatnam and 45-year-old Anagha Sant and 25-year-old Sonal Bhat — kickstarted their journey on three mean machines at Puducherry. Before that, they drove all the way from their hometowns to Puducherry.
On Monday, they reached the city and briefly stopped by at the Bajaj Motorcycle showroom in the city, which is run only by women. “We have been meeting women and men of the motorbiking clubs, rotary clubs and women clubs in various cities and towns and the response, even from strangers, is great,” they said.
Asked about their response on women being compared to motor vehicles, they said, “If we are motorcycles, the best comes only when they are used. The statement was just the perspective of a single person, and that could not be applied to all others. Many men on the way extended support to us. Youth have been wishing us all the best and petrol bunk owners are offering us space to relax,” they said.
The expedition is to mark International Women’s Day to be celebrated on March 8 and they will be welcomed by the Women and Child Welfare Society of West Bengal.
While Ms. Vaishali, mother of a 24-year-old son, took voluntary retirement to pursue dreams of motorcycling, Sant, mother of a 22-year-old son, was an employee at LIC, and Bhat is working in her father’s company. Vaishali rides Bajaj Avenger Cruise, Sant rides KTM Duke and Bhat rides a Royal Enfield Thunderbird.
