On a dirt track set in south Kerala, the rider on her Hero Impulse has made way through the sand and raced ahead.

Kochi :

On a dirt track set in south Kerala, the rider on her Hero Impulse made way through the sand and raced ahead. This daring rider, who let everyone else in the competition eat dust, can hang with the best in this motorsport. Panchami LS from Sreekaryam in Thiruvananthapuram is a dauntless rider and one of the few women from Kerala who has made to motocross at a high level.  Panchami was one among the dirt bike enthusiasts in the women’s category who participated in Dirtrix 2019, a motocross racing event held at Greenfield Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram recently.

The 21-year-old says she loved motorcycles since she was a child but she took it as her passion when she became a teenager. “I began riding a bike at the age of 10. It all started when I saw others riding motorcycles. But, my passion for being a dirt biker began at a later age,” says Panchami.

There is a saying: ‘Life is always a race towards your dream.’ True to this, Panchami was also enthusiastic about competing at high motocross events held in different parts of the country. Two years ago, during a practice session for one such motocross event, she met with an accident which Panchami, in biker’s language, calls a ‘throttle twist’. “Though I was passionate about riding motorcycles, this accident made me question myself about my future on the track. I was in ventilator for almost 20 days. Besides this, I had a head injury and a steel rod was inserted in my hand,” says the dirt bike enthusiast. The incident was a major breakdown in the pathway of achieving her dreams.

After her accident, the Dirtrix 2019 is officially the first event Panchami participated. She was the only woman from Kerala to compete in the event. “This was my first motocross event after recovering from a major accident. Being my first race, I was very excited and had a good experience,” says Panchami.

Getting involved in motorcycle racing was an uphill battle for her from the start as the sport is not popular in the state. Unlike other motorsports, motocross competitions require more practice and expertise. “When you are into motocross racing, only particular types of bikes can be used and sometimes these bikes need to be modified to increase its power. Not only that, the gloves, gears and jacket have to be proper,” she says.

Panchami has been trying hard to achieve her dream of going pro and has been practising hard for it. For the recent event, she practised at the ground near Kazhakoottam for several days. Aiming for more pulsating racing events, the youngster hopes to bring laurels to the country in the sport that she is so passionate about.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Kochi / by Steni Simon / Express News Service / March 28th, 2019