Top Indian Female Rally-Racers, Giving a Tough Time to Male Racers!

What comes to your mind when you listen to the term “Rally Races?” Loud cars, sharp turns, drifts & dirt, and most importantly, male drivers and their coordinators.

Well, let us break the stigma for you. Today, we will be talking about the best female rally drivers as well as co-drivers of India, giving male drivers, tough competition.

1. Dr Bani Yadav

In 2015, Bani delivered a strong debut in the Indian National Rally Championship (INRC). The Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India honoured her as the ‘Outstanding Woman in Motorsport’ for 2016. (FMSCI). In 2018 and 2019, she also won her class in the National Autocross Championship.

In 2014, Bani won the Coupe de Dame (Ladies) class of the Raid de Himalaya for the first time. She went on to win the Ladies category in every endurance rally she competed in, including Raid de Himalaya, Desert Storm, Dakshin Dare, Royal Rajasthan, and Ultimate Desert Challenge.

Bani holds the distinction of being the only Indian driver to get a PhD in motorsports from Tonga’s Commonwealth University. She is also a member of INRC’s only mother-son pair, where she competes alongside her son Arjun Bani Rao.

2. Dr Shivani Pruthvi

Shivani belongs to a motorsports aficionado family. Her father, BS Pruthvi is a seasoned, veteran rallyist. Shivani’s mother Dr Deepti, is her co-driver.

In 2018, she competed in the National Racing Championship round in Coimbatore, which was her first foray into motorsports. In 2019, she made her INRC debut in the South India Rally, with her mother as her co-driver. Shivani is recognised for being a careful driver with a strong sense of purpose.

3. Khyati Mody

In 2020, Khyati made her INRC debut in the Rally of Arunachal, where she finished on the podium for the first time. However, she views representing India in the Asian Gymkhana in Korea in 2020 to be one of the highlights of her motorsports career thus far.

Khyati’s riding career began when she skipped college to compete in her first karting event in Mumbai, which she won.

Rayomand Banajee, a multiple national winner, saw her at the tournament. Her coach took her under his wing and enrolled her in the National Karting Championship. She advanced from karting through formula racing, autocross, gymkhana, cross-country, and now INRC.

4. Pragathi Gowda

Pragathi is a talented young woman with a fiery personality. Many Indian racing veterans who watched her drive for the first time during the Rally of Arunachal in INRC 2020 said she possessed a cool head and raw speed. On her debut, she won gold in the Junior INRC class.

5. Amandeep Kaur

Red Bull Catch Up 2018 was Amandeep’s maiden racing event. She then competed in TSD rallies and autocross before being chosen to represent India in the Asian Auto Gymkhana Championship in 2020. Before competing in the INRC for the first time in the 2020 rally in Coimbatore, she improved her talents at Gaurav Gill’s rally school.

Her son Jasmehar Singh and daughter Muskaan Singh have both pursued a career in racing and have won national karting championships.

6. Athira Murali

Aritha is a well-known Malayalam car vlogger who is frequently seen driving trucks and buses on local television shows and on her own YouTube channel.

Her father, VN Muraleedharan, encouraged her to pursue her passion for motorsports. Aritha is the youngest female motorsports driver in Kerala, according to the India Book of Records and the Universal Record Forum. In 2020, she made her INRC debut at the rally in Coimbatore, winning the Ladies category in a rented rally-prepared VW Polo.

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In Rally races, co-drivers play an equally important role as the drivers. The co-driver plays an integral role in the navigation and the planning of the route, which gives the drivers an advantage over other drivers.

Here are some of the best female co-drivers in the Rally racing scenario in India:

1. Smitha Prasad

Smitha became the lone female driver in India’s first-ever Rainforest Challenge in 2012, bringing her into the Indian motorsports world. She became a co-driver after that, operating entirely in a Gypsy, and has been the INRC’s only regular female co-driver since 2016.

Smitha is a diligent strategist who is well-versed in rallying rules. She navigates for veteran Sanjay Agarwal. She keeps an eye on the clock and supports Sanjay with the tempo notes.

Smitha had been a rally driver in a VW Polo in 2015, but she believes she found her true calling in racing as a navigator after converting to co-driver in 2016. In his 36 years in racing, Sanjay considers Smitha to be one of the greatest navigators he has ever worked with.

2. Dr Deepthi Pruthvi

In the entire INRC history, Dr Deepthi and Dr Shivani Pruthvi are the only mother-daughter duo. Deepthi’s rallying slogan is “attention and concentration,” and after their car flipped over during the 2019 INRC round in Coimbatore, she kept screaming out the pace notes until Shivani ordered her to stop and inquired about her well-being.

Owing to her daughter’s backing and husband’s knowledge, as well as her own enthusiasm and devotion to racing, Deepthi has become one of India’s greatest co-drivers.

3. Deeksha Balakrishna

Deeksha made her debut in the 2020 Rally of Arunachal partnering with Pragathi Gowda. Balakrishna, often known as BK in the Indian motorsports scene, is her father, a motorcyclist, rallyist, and trainer.

She has attended multiple rally events around the nation in various official roles before competing, so she is highly familiar with the sport.

4. Shubhkiran Pal Brar

Shubhkiran debuted as a navigator at INRC in 2016, when she assisted Dr Bani Yadav. Over the years, she has accumulated a lot of cross-country experience. She makes swift choices based on her expertise and experience. Subhkiran was part of a Mahindra Expedition to Leh-Ladakh in 2019 that taught her how to drive in the snow under the instruction of rally veteran Hari Singh.

Her favourite track is the Punjab Motor Sports Club circuit in Ludhiana, where she grew up. She used to be a head marshal at the club, but she had to resign when she competed in INRC 2020. “It’s something I’m quite passionate about. I’m addicted to motorsports. I adore it,” she exclaims.

We are Fervent Motorsports salute Indian ladies behind the wheels, who have made our country proud. It is time that more female riders contribute to the Indian motorsports sector.