Sneha Sharma and Other Female Racers Break Men's Monopoly in India

Neither broken ribs nor the fearful sight of crash on a race track can terrorise them because they are all driven by one common passion -- thrill for speed. (CS Santosh Becomes First Indian Racer to Race at Dakar)

Let's meet India's speed girls-- Sneha Sharma, a pilot by profession, 15-year-old Mira Erda and Delhi's Dabas sisters, Neha and Ria.

Neither they want to prove that girls are superior to boys nor are they out there to challenge the chauvinistic beliefs of a certain section of society.

They are just following their passion. They just believe they can be competitive in motorsport and that's why they are there.

It's not a common sight to see girls, wearing overalls talking about gear box, a racing car's specifics and the curves of a race track. But these four girls attract your attention, doing the same at the JK Tyre Racing championship.

Last year, the championship had two girls -- Indigo pilot Sneha and 10th standard student Mira competing in the Formula LGB 4 category and this season, Neha and Ria are gauging their skills in the Volkswagen Vento Cup.

It has not been an easy journey for Sneha as it took a lot of cajoling to convince her parents for getting the permission to pursue racing.

"They did not like the fact of me racing. I had created lot of ruckus at home and eventually they came around because they have seen my performances," Sneha told PTI in an interaction during the Round 2 of the championship in Coimbatore.

It's not just the pressure from family but financial constraints too are major obstacles.

"A bulk of my salary goes into racing. It is very expensive. But now I have two sponsors in JK Tyres and my company Indigo, I hope to drive in a better series. I want a full season drive in Formula BMW soon," the 25-year-old said.

When you see Mira, she looks like a kid who is excited to be at the track, watching races and bike stunts. But her innocent face conceals her bravado. This you discover only after talking to her. I love speed. The first time I was behind the wheels, I hit the wall. The steering hit me very badly. For some time, I did not drive but after a few weeks, the fear went away."

Mira Erda, who is 15 years old, took to the race track on her father's insistence. (Picture Credit: Mira Erda Facebook page)

Unlike Sneha, it was Mira's father, who enticed her into racing.

"I have a track at my native place in Vadodara. I used to Go-kart there. My dad asked me if I would like to go and race. We went to Pune for a race and there was a crash. Somebody broke his shoulder, but I thought it was fun. I trained at Kolhapur and got into national (karting) championships," the 15-year-old said with a sparkle in her eye.

Similarly, Neha and Ria, daughters of a fighter-pilot, got a lot of support from their family.

"Our parents were happy with our choice. My dad is a fighter pilot, pushing for speed and stuff. He was always supportive," says Neha, who is also pursuing MBA in international Business and Marketing and is big fan of Sebastian Vettel.

"I am passionate about cars. I love speed and thrill and that's why I am here. I am a strong person. I don't have a fear that I will get injured," she adds.

Her younger sister Ria joins conversation and says,"It runs in the family. I thought let's give it a shot. Let's see where we stand. This is a completely different world. It's very exciting. We had to learn basics of track racings. It is so easy on road than being on a track."

And the girls are showing that they are not there to add to numbers. They are improving, trying to be as competitive as possible.

"In the first round, we were starting 20th and 21st on the grid but this round we started 12th and 13th."

Sneha too is making good strides. In the first round in Coimbatore, she came up with her best show, finishing sixth out of 22 cars on the grid.

"I am much faster, the lap times are also better, I am much more competitive. I am making positions, I was running 8th and 9th in this round before encountering a technical problem," she said.

If you think that she is doing well since she is a pilot by profession it's actually the other way round.

"Actually racing helps me in my flying. You develop quick reflexes and focus. And you are at such a high sped, you need to think quick. All these things help me to be a better pilot," said Sneha, who used to carry her book on tracks when she was studying under the track lights to make up for lost time.

"I have cracked my ribs in the past and I still have neck injury but I never give up."

And there are lot of sacrifices these girls are making, like any other athlete.

"I fly 5-6 days, it's a struggle, I get little time for training. I have cut down on my personal life. I work out during nights. Sometimes after my flights, I do push-ups at midnight."

Mira, who started driving in Formula LGB 4 since the last race of the 2014 season, says that the boys on the grid have accepted her as a competitor.

"They know what I can do. They have accepted me as their competitor. Earlier they used to see me as a girl and not as a competitor. But after a few races, they got to know how I drive and have started supporting me."

Only the future will tell whether these girls make it big or not but they certainly are making the right noises.