BC: What made you want to ride a bike? Any
inspiration?
AP: I started riding motorcycles as a passion
with my girlfriends from college. Riding gave me
sense of freedom and I feel alive every time I
was on a bike.
BC: Tell us about your first road race or a rally?
AP: I did not do so well in my first race, but I
drew inspiration from it to get better.
BC: What type of road race and a bike category
you race?
AP: In circuit racing I race the Women's Honda
one make up to 150cc, Women's TVS one make
up to 200cc, Women's Group-D up to 165cc.
In a Rally - Women's Group-B up to 250cc.
BC: Tell us about your victory in FIM Baja's
world championship. How was your
experience?
AP: I feel extremely happy to bear the Indian
flag on international platforms and be the first
Indian athlete to have won a world
championship on motorcycles.
My ultimate dream is to be at DAKAR, it is one
of it's kind and is the most gruelling race, any
racing athlete dreams to participate at.
BC: What type of racer you think you are?
Aggressive or Conservative?
AP: Aggressive racer, but only on the racing
tracks.
BC: What special arrangements you do when
you go for a race or a rally?
AP: I have a training regime that I follow, which
includes 3 days of a week at the gym where we
work on physical strength and conditioning
along with mental conditioning. Over the
weekend 3 days I spend time training on a
motorcycle.
BC: How many races and rallies you have
participated in? How many domestic &
international?
AP: 4 Indian National Motorcycle Road Racing
Championships and Indian National Rally
Championships.
5 Cross Country Rallies Nationally.
1 International Road Racing Championship.
1 International Cross Country Baja Rally
Championship.
BC: Which is your best race or a rally till now?
AP: The Baja's internationally.
BC: The first race or rally, which you won? Tell us
about that.
AP: The first race I won was in road racing.
BC: Who's your role model in racing?
AP: Toby Price, CS Santhosh, Laila Sanz, and
Arvind KP.
BC: What's your plus & minus points in race?
AP: At a race I am in my zone, I do not talk to
anyone and I visualise.
BC: What's your high & low phase in racing or in
life till now?
AP: High : Is when me and my team achieve our
goal / win a race.
Low : has been the injury phase, especially last
year when I ruptured my pancreas. This is the
biggest injury I have endured where I had to stay in
the hospital for 1 month by myself in Spain and the
doctor said I could take out 6 months to recover.