Ludhiana: Maninderjit Kaur learnt riding at the age of 40 and has never since looked back. She has scaled heights on her Royal Enfield which she learned to ride in just two days.
The daughter of an Army officer, Kaur had always been passionate about riding, particularly Royal Enfield bikes but marriage, job and family commitments held her back. But passion can seldom be withheld. Kaur worked in a school for 15 years and left it to pursue her passion of riding and embarking on a spectacular journey of adventure. With her Royal Enfield as the trusted companion, she became the sole female rider from Punjab to reach an altitude of 1,900 metre (Umling La, the highest motorable pass in the world).
Kaur is also the first woman from Ludhiana to have completed a trip to Ladakh on her bike. It took her several days to cover the 3,500 kms during which she reached the Zoji La pass, Khardung La and Umling La. Speaking to ETV Bharat, Kaur said she never got the chance to ride her father's Royal Enfield. "I had a passion for riding but could not pursue it owing to job and family responsibilities. But after working for 15 years, I rented a Royal Enfield and learnt riding in just two days. It just came naturally to me," she said.
Kaur said once she learnt to ride, she rode her bike on the streets of Ludhiana and then took it to the highway. She never fell and this just added to her confidence. "I got to know that a bikers' group from Chandigarh was leaving for Ladakh and I joined them. I fell from the bike on the way but did not give up," she said. Two other riders in the group however gave up and returned. Kaur now plans to ride her bike from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. "The Royal Enfield weighs 200 kg. Its takes strength in the legs and arms to handle the bike," she said. Kaur said her family has been supportive and her daughters are proud of her. "Upon my return from Ladakh, my family said only I could do it," she said with confidence writ large on her face.
