The 25-year-old engineer began her bike riding journey with a desire to ride at the age of 14, which she expressed to her uncle who advised her to put the pedal to the metal, quite literally. Thus began the 14-year-old’s first bike venture. She debuted on a Hero Passion and later got her first Activa at the age of 18. Since then, there was no looking back for Das. Her love for motorcycles further transcended into her academics, making Das take up Mechanical Engineering at a degree level.
In 2016, Das enrolled herself into the Ambey Valley Drag Race-India Speed Week after being motivated by her friends and family while being completely oblivious to the car racing scenario in India. However, the following year, she participated in both car and bike categories and came home with the title of ‘Fastest Female on Bike’. Although the biker began her racing career with cars, she prefers racing on bikes as she believes that track car races are way more expensive to be a part of.
During the drag race event, she was noticed by several senior riders who then helped her participate in the selection round for India’s first female bike racing team powered by TVS Racing. Among the 60 participants who were pitted against each other to make it to the first-ever team, 15 racers were selected, which also included Das. She praises TVS for taking up the initiative to promote racing for women and believes that it has certainly increased the number of women entering the industry.
“The initiative taken up by TVS has helped motivate women to get more involved in motorsports. I remember, in 2016, when I took part in drag races, there were around 400-450 boys and just four or five girls in the entire competition. After the TVS racing team was set up, the number of girls participating doubled. As years passed by, the number went on increasing. I believe the more racers the people see, the more awareness it will create,” she said.
Similarly, Das also got into racing after being inspired by Alisha Abdullah, India’s first female national racing champion. She recollects being trained by Abdullah in the TVS team as one of her luckiest days.
Further down the road, Das felt the need to move forward. She clearly believes in the phrase, the bigger the better. So she waited till she turned 21 to officially start her bus driving training. However, she was up for a bumpy ride. Most training centres mocked and questioned her ability to handle a heavy vehicle, being a woman. This further fuelled her drive to get trained. Expecting the worst, she reluctantly applied for the BEST training course as her last resort. However, the team was more than happy to train her and she received her licence soon after. On completing the training period, the 24-year-old was informed of the feat she had achieved – the triumph of becoming the first female to complete the training under BEST.
Another major laurel that came her way was the Great Asian Odyssey, a 15,000 km road trip with fellow bikers, covering the vast Southeast-Asian region of Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Sri Lanka, where she proudly represented India at key places.
On being asked about difficulties a woman might face on roads, Das said, “None.” She says most people are more than happy to help a female rider. She recalls how women in rural areas come to strike up a conversation and get genuinely fascinated to see a female bike rider. In terms of personal needs too, she believes that most roads are fairly equipped.
Talking about family support, Das affirms that her mother’s complete support is what has helped her move forward. Despite receiving flak from other members of the family or even outsiders, her mother has stood by her like a rock. She says that even though many people have brought up the ‘girl factor’ to stop her from going on long trips, her mother always nodded ‘yes’ to her crazy adventures. However, Das also makes sure to be responsible while on trips by regularly informing her mother of her whereabouts.
Das has recently ventured into YouTube video creation space with her first introduction video already up for viewing. She aims to make content in her native language Telugu as a way to connect to the people back home, as most people mistake her to be a Mumbaikar. Apart from this, she also plans to feature her riding and travel videos and also use it as a platform to motivate more people into motorsports. She credits YouTuber Tagore Cherry, aka Cherry Vlogs, for persuading her into starting her own YouTube channel.
Commenting on her future goals, she says her next target is to ride to the Mount Everest base camp, which will be a challenge she would like to embark on. Additionally, she would also like to try her hand again at car racing. She also mentions the BMW S 1000 RR to be her dream bike. (MT)
VinFast Signs Letters of Intent With Over 50 Two-Wheeler Dealers In India
- By MT Bureau
- October 08, 2026
Vietnamese automotive company VinFast has signed Letters of Intent (LoI) with its first group of over 50 e-motorcycle dealer partners in India, establishing a distribution footprint across 15 states and 34 cities. The agreement was finalised at VinFast’s manufacturing facility in Hai Phong, Vietnam, during a delegation visit by Indian retail partners.
As per the terms, VinFast and its retail partners will open showrooms in locations including Delhi NCR, Rajasthan, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal and Odisha. The initial expansion target focuses on commercial centres with high two-wheeler adoption rates as part of the manufacturer's network setup.
Vo Thi Cam Tu, Managing Director of VinFast E-Scooters Overseas Market, said, "India is one of the most important markets in VinFast's global growth story, and this partnership reflects the scale of ambition we hold for the region. As we expand our presence across markets worldwide, India stands out for its scale, its growing demand for electric mobility, and the opportunity it offers to redefine mobility. This LoI signing demonstrates our long-term commitment to India, as well as our expectations and confidence in the vast scale and potential of the market."
Anurag Saxena, Chief Executive Officer of VinFast India E-Scooters, said, "Partnering with more than 50 dealer partners across 15 states and territories and 34 cities marks the beginning of our journey to bring VinFast e-motorcycles across India. Alongside, we are also building charging infrastructure and strengthening after-sales services to ensure that customers across these locations receive the support they need throughout their ownership journey."
The company entered the Indian market in 2025 with electric car manufacturing and distribution operations. The latest agreement represents VinFast's first dedicated retail network for electric two-wheelers in India, where two-wheeler registrations reached 21.41 million units in fiscal year 2025-2026, with electric models accounting for 6.54 per cent of total sales.
Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Launches XR300 L A And XR300 Rally Motorcycles At INR 183,000
- By MT Bureau
- October 07, 2026
Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, one of the leading two-wheeler manufacturers in the country, has announced pricing and opened bookings for the Honda XR300 L and Honda XR300 Rally. The announcement follows the initial unveiling of both models in July 2026 as part of the company's product expansion plans.
The XR300 L is priced at INR 183,000 ex-showroom Bengaluru, while the XR300 Rally is priced at INR 208,000 ex-showroom Bengaluru. Effective from 5 October 2026, bookings for both models have opened across the manufacturer's BigWing dealership network and online platform for a reservation amount of INR 5,000.
Both motorcycles are powered by a 293.5cc air-cooled engine equipped with an oil cooler; both variants come with torque control systems, rear suspension setups, front and rear disc brakes, switchable dual-channel ABS and an assist slipper clutch.
The XR300 L is designed for mixed city and off-road use and is offered in Extreme Red and Shasta White colour options. The XR300 Rally features bodywork designed for wind protection during long-distance riding, along with a TFT instrument cluster with smartphone connectivity.
The Rally variant is available in Extreme Red and True Black options. Both models form part of the manufacturer's domestic production initiative for local and export markets.
Triumph Motorcycles Introduces Bonneville T40, T40 Black And T4 Models In India
- By MT Bureau
- October 06, 2026
Triumph Motorcycles, one of the leading premium motorcycle manufacturers, has expanded its lineup in India with the launch of the Bonneville T40, T40 Black and T4 models, with pricing starting at INR 279,999 ex-showroom, Delhi, while the latter is priced at INR 254,999 ex-showroom, Delhi.
The new models feature traditional styling elements, including a teardrop fuel tank, round headlight, twin rear shock absorbers and spoked wheels with aluminium rims. The motorcycles are available in two-tone schemes with hand-painted coach lining and peashooter silencers. The bikes offer an accessible ergonomic setup, featuring a low seat height that can be reduced to 770 millimetres with an accessory seat.
All three variants are powered by a 350cc iteration of Triumph's TR Series engine. The engine produces 29 PS of power at 7,000 rpm and 31 Nm of torque at 5,500 rpm, tuned to deliver low-end torque and a distinct exhaust note.
The T40 and T40 Black feature a four-inch circular TFT instrument display with smartphone connectivity, including map navigation, phone and music controls. The models also come equipped with five ride modes, cruise control, cornering ABS and cornering traction control. The Bonneville T4 includes a colour LCD with turn-by-turn navigation, selectable ride modes, and dual-channel ABS.
Steve Sargent, Chief Product Officer, Triumph Motorcycles, said, “The Bonneville is one of the most significant motorcycles in Triumph's history, so introducing a new model carrying that name comes with a responsibility to get it right. From the outset, our ambition was not simply to create a smaller Bonneville, but to create a motorcycle that delivers the style, character and ownership experience riders expect from a genuine Bonneville. Bringing that experience to more riders is strategically important for Triumph, particularly as lower-capacity motorcycle categories continue to grow around the world."
"Working closely with Bajaj, we challenged ourselves to retain the details and qualities that make a Bonneville special, from the proportions and finish to traditional touches such as hand-painted coach lining, while also introducing a level of technology and rider-focused innovation not previously seen in this category. The result is a motorcycle that stays true to the values that have defined the Bonneville for generations while opening the experience to even more riders.” Sargent added.
The company has begun online bookings for the motorcycles starting 7 October 2026. Deliveries for the Bonneville T40 and T40 Black are scheduled to begin in the second week of November 2026, while deliveries for the Bonneville T4 will commence in the second week of January 2027.
Aprilia India Introduces SXR GT Scooter Lineup Starting At INR 109,999
- By MT Bureau
- October 06, 2026
Aprilia India has launched its SXR GT scooter lineup, introducing the SXR GT 125 hp-e and SXR GT 175 hp-e models to expand its product offerings in the country. The SXR GT 125 hp-e is priced at an introductory rate of INR 109,999 ex-showroom, Maharashtra, while the SXR GT 175 hp-e is priced at INR 129,999 ex-showroom, Maharashtra.
The scooters are powered by air-cooled single-cylinder engines. The 124.45 cc engine produces 7.8 kW of power at 7,400 rpm and 10.4 Nm of torque at 6,200 rpm, while the 174.7 cc engine delivers 9.76 kW at 7,200 rpm and 14.14 Nm of torque at 6,000 rpm.
Both scooters feature three valves per cylinder, electronic fuel injection, electric starting, and compliance with BSVI OBD II Stage B regulations and E20 fuel blends. The chassis setup incorporates 14-inch wheels fitted to both models.
Suspension is handled by telescopic front forks and a dual-effect hydraulic shock absorber with five-position adjustability at the rear. Braking relies on a 220 mm front disc brake paired with a 140 mm rear drum brake, with the 125 cc variant utilising a combined braking system and the 175 cc variant employing an anti-lock braking system.
The SXR GT 125 hp-e is available in Matte Black, Glossy Azzurro, and Glossy White colour finishes, while the SXR GT 175 hp-e comes in Metallic Blue, Matte Black and Matte Green. Both models have gone on sale across Aprilia dealerships in India.
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