Rocky paths, steady goals: Bengaluru-based racer Aishwarya Pissay on difficulties of racing in desert

Motorcycle racer Aishwarya Pissay talks to CE about her recent win at an international event in Dubai, treading on tricky desert terrain and more
Rocky paths, steady goals: Bengaluru-based racer Aishwarya Pissay on difficulties of racing in desert

BENGALURU: Motorcycle racer Aishwarya Pissay’s recent success was nothing short of bumpy journey. The Bengaluru girl – who secured third place at the Dubai International FIM Baja World Cup race under the women’s category this month – says a desert is the most difficult and technical terrain to ride on. “It is not an easy ride in the desert, which can be an unpredictable terrain. Out of the 31 riders, only 19 of us finished. All the training and hard work I underwent in the last few months helped me secure this,” Pissay tells CE. The event took place at Al Quadra desert, where she ranked 14th in the overall classification. 

Pissay may have been India’s first motorcycle athlete to win the world title in two-wheeler motorsport in 2019, but the feat didn’t come without its own set of challenges. Suffering a collarbone injury and surviving through a ruptured pancreas in 2018, she took the challenge head on and managed to deliver her 2019 victory. Looking back on her days before racing, she says, “I worked as a front desk official at the age of 17 and did day jobs at events to manage food thrice a day and save money for the training. When TVS picked me up after I showed results, my passion turned into a career.” 

This passion led her to many different roads, from the mountains of the Himalayas to the deserts in the Middle East. But no matter the terrain, Pissay always pushed herself to cross the finish line. What proved to be a bigger hurdle, she adds, was competing with professional male racers. “Not a lot of women were a part of motorcycle racing. But over the past few years, things are changing. Now the  number of women participating in rallies is also increasing,” says Pissay, who is still in Dubai to train for the Jordan International Baja in March. 

When not racing in different cities of the world, the 25-year-old – who is also pursuing a BA in journalism and psychology at Surana College – can be spotted relishing a bite of Bengaluru’s masala dosaes. Talking about her favourite getaway places in the city, she says, “I usually spend time in Cubbon Park with my family. The masala dosae at CTR is my all-time favourite. I also go hiking and cycling with my family during my free time.”

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