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)

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Classic Legends, one of the leading mid-sized motorcycle manufacturers, has launched a nationwide service initiative titled the ‘Legends’ Care Camp’ across its authorised Jawa, Yezdi and BSA dealership network. The event is scheduled to run from 23 May to 31 May, 2026.

This initiative reflects the company’s commitment to improving the aftersales experience and customer satisfaction. The service camp will take place in various cities, providing owners with comprehensive vehicle health check-ups and benefits related to service, spare parts, labour and accessories.

During the camp, trained technicians will conduct a 72-point motorcycle inspection. This assessment focuses on key performance and safety areas, including: engine performance, braking systems, clutch operation, electrical systems, tyre condition, suspension, battery health and overall vehicle condition.

The initiative is designed to ensure optimal riding performance and safety, particularly as riders prepare for the monsoon season. Customers visiting dealerships can also access expert consultations on motorcycle upkeep and special offers on periodic maintenance.

Jayapradeep Vasudevan, Head of National Business Operations, Classic Legends, said, “At Classic Legends, customer experience and rider satisfaction remain at the core of our approach. Through the “Legends’ Care Camp”, we aim to offer riders expert service support and proactive vehicle care, ensuring their motorcycles continue to deliver the performance, reliability and riding experience that our brands are known for.”

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Hero MotoCorp, the world’s largest two-wheeler manufacturer, has launched its XPulse 200 4V and XPulse 200 Pro motorcycles in the United Kingdom, expanding its international adventure motorcycle line-up.

The rollout represents the next phase of the manufacturer's European expansion, following its initial entry into the UK market last year through a distribution partnership with MotoGB.

The motorcycles were introduced at the Inch Perfect Trials in the Ribble Valley, marking the brand's latest European expansion following recent market entries in Italy and Spain. Distribution and aftersales service will be managed via MotoGB’s network of 36 sales and service outlets across the UK, with all models backed by a two-year warranty.

Both models are powered by a 199.6cc, four-stroke, four-valve, single-cylinder, oil-cooled engine paired with a five-speed constant-mesh transmission. The engine produces 18.9 BHP at 8,500 RPM and 17.35 Nm of torque at 6,500 RPM. The motorcycles feature an LCD instrument cluster with Bluetooth connectivity and turn-by-turn navigation, a Class-D LED projector headlamp and three anti-lock braking system (ABS) modes (Road, Off-Road and Rally).

Harshavardhan Chitale, CEO, Hero MotoCorp, said, “The launch of the XPulse 200 series marks an important step in strengthening Hero MotoCorp’s global adventure motorcycling portfolio in the UK. The XPulse has created a strong identity globally as an accessible yet highly capable adventure motorcycle that appeals to both - everyday riders and off-road enthusiasts. With its proven performance, versatility and adventure-focused DNA, we are confident that the XPulse range will strongly resonate with the riders. As we continue to expand across international markets, our focus remains on bringing globally benchmarked products and building deeper customer engagement worldwide.”

The XPulse 200 Pro includes hardware adaptations for off-road use, featuring handlebar risers to assist with standing positions and an extended gear shift lever designed to accommodate off-road riding boots. Both variants are equipped with protective bash plates, handguards, and a rear luggage plate with integrated cargo hooks as standard equipment.

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Chennai-headquartered two-wheeler and three-wheeler major TVS Motor Company, a part of TVS Group, has appointed Ravindran Shanmugam as an independent director for a 5-year term, effective 13 May 2026, pending shareholder approval.

Shanmugam is a technology entrepreneur and business leader with experience in digital transformation and AI platforms. He currently serves as the Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Mablle, an AI-based interior design platform in Singapore. He has previously worked as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company and is an alumnus of the University of Oxford.

Sudarshan Venu, Chairman, TVS Motor Company, said, “Ravindran Shanmugam brings deep expertise in digital & consumer-focused businesses, and AI-led transformation, along with strong experience in strategy, entrepreneurship and scaling businesses across global markets. His perspectives will add valuable depth to the TVS Motor board as we continue to strengthen our future-ready growth ambitions. We are delighted to welcome him and look forward to benefiting from his insights and guidance.”

Ravindran Shanmugam, said, “I am honoured to join the board of TVS Motor Company, an institution with a strong legacy of engineering excellence, customer trust and global ambition. Mobility is being reshaped by technology, digital ecosystems, AI and evolving consumer expectations, and TVS Motor is well positioned to play a meaningful role in this transformation. I look forward to contributing to the board’s deliberations and supporting the company’s long-term growth journey with perspectives from technology-led transformation, platform businesses and consumer-focused innovation.”

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Chennai-headquartered two-wheeler and three-wheeler major TVS Motor Company has reported revenue of INR 472.70 billion for FY2025-26, up 30 percent YoY, as compared to INR 362.51 billion last year.

The company reported its operating EBITDA for the year stood at 12.9 percent, while operating profit before tax reached INR 49.75 billion, up 40 percent YoY.

For FY2026, combined sales of two and three-wheelers increased by 24 percent to 5.88 million units. Within this total, motorcycle sales rose by 24 percent to 2.71 million units, while scooter sales grew by 27 percent to 2.41 million units.

Three-wheeler sales reached 219,000 units, an increase of 63 percent, while electric vehicle sales grew by 33 percent to 371,000 units, bringing the total customer base for this segment to more than 900,000.

For Q4 FY2026, the company recorded revenue of INR 128.08 billion, the operating EBITDA margin for the quarter was 13.1 percent. Normalised revenue for the quarter grew by 36 percent when excluding benefits from government incentive schemes recorded in the prior year.

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