'Bikernis' Around The Country Celebrate As India's All-Women Bikers Association Turns 5

As India's first all-women motorcycle association turns five, it sets for itself miles of hostile terrain to cross before women bikers earn their place of honour in an industry still dominated by patriarchy.

"We are a group of complete individuals, and I mean individuals. Everyone of us has a different reason for being who we are. The only thing we agree on is our love for biking and our love for motorcycles (sic)," says the description.

The association, cheekily called The Bikerni, has members from across the country who are celebrating their empowerment and commemorating the companionship with their fellow women bikers whose age ranges from 18 to 50 years.








In an interview to The Hindu, The Bikerni co-founder Urvashi Patole said, "The Bikerni was formed to fill the void that exists in the male-dominated motorcycling community. Me and Firdaus Shaikh, the other co-founder, shared the same passion and hence began the journey."

In fact, in 2013, The Bikerni group had earned themselves a place in the Limca Book of World Records for holding the largest all-women motorcycle expedition to Khardung-La -- the highest motorable road in the world -- from Delhi to Nubra Valley.

What started as a group of 11 female bikers, now, five years later, it has gathered over 400 members spread across the country including cities such as Pune, Delhi, Bengaluru, and Guwahati, among others.

But now they have bigger plans.

“We intend to set more exciting records -- those that will have international certification. Besides, efforts are on to connect those who are spread in the remotest corners of the country,” Shabnam Akram, an active member told The Hindu.

Besides world records and dangerous routes, The Bikerni community faces several other speed bumps such as the disdain and ridicule for women bikers in the society. In an earlier interview to The Indian Express, Patole had said, "Men, even our motorcycling brothers feel that a woman's place is in the kitchen."

But The Bikerni(s) are trying to break stereotypes, one speed bump at a time.




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