Wearing leather jackets, sunglasses and gloves she breaks shackles of traditions and the rule book of society as she rides the bullet motorcycle at a speed of 100 kilometre per hour.

At the age of 54, Shabnam Akhtar of Delhi is living her dream;  she rides the bike for long drives at an age when people complain of health issues and prefer to relax.

Shabnam, who originally hails from Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh says she feels a surge of freedom inside when she is riding her bullet. “For me, the dust from the bike works as a makeup, smell of petrol as perfume and the sound of the bullet is that of music,” she says with a spark in her eyes.

The heaviness of the bullet gives her confidence in being capable of flying high. The machine has given a new identity.

Shabnam Akhtar was awardedBadalte kadam award by the then Minister for Minority Affairs Najma A. Heptulla in 2016.

As the leader of Bikerani (Queen of the bike) group, she trains women in riding a bike and also delivers motivational speeches.

Shabnam has travelled more than 50 lakh kilometres by her bike. She often goes on bike rides with her group of women bikers. They have travelled from Delhi to Leh and from there to Kanyakumari. She has also travelled to Gujarat, Maharashtra and Assam on her bike. Sometimes the bikeranis also go on a long ride to clean the rivers and sometimes to spend time with the elders, who are living alone.

She fell in love with the bike at the age of 14 she sat on the pillion on her brother’s mobike. She loved the machine and started riding it as a hobby.

Being from a Muslim family, she faced resistance from her family initially. However, later everyone supported her.

She got trained in riding the mobike while she was in college. Back then there were common brands like Chetak, Bajaj, Luna etc . all low powered two-wheelers in the marker. “I did not like them since I was fond of speed and power riding,” she says.

Once while riding the mobike in Allahabad, a man tried to push her. She says people often stare at her when she gets off her bullet wearing a helmet and gloves.

Shabnam, a graphics designer by profession, says her first mobike was a gift from her husband after their wedding.

Sharing her experience, Shabnam says once in Delhi, she was riding the bike with her friend and they stopped at the traffic signal. She found five persons sitting in a car beside her mobike staring at her. Suddenly one of them shouted, “ Hey, look, a woman is riding a bike.” After that soon eyes of all people around were on her. “However, I found a sense of admiration in the eyes of some of them,” Shabnam says.

She explains that some men feel uncomfortable seeing a woman riding a mobike and they start overtaking her as if they have to prove a point. Once such incident happened and  to her and the gentleman continued to ride a bike alongside hers. Finally she was upset and asked him what did he want?

Shabnam with a elderly relative

He replied, “You ride bike very well.”

At this Shabnam retorted, “Only because I am a woman you are praising me; you won’t do it to a man.”

Shabnam rejects talk about a mobike being more suitable for younger persons. “Where is the problem of riding a mobike?  Bike vibes with the rider’s body; if you lean towards the left, then the bike will also lean towards the left. It also becomes a part of your body. The car does not become your extension,” she says.

Shabnam uses bike rides as therapy as she goes on a long ride whenever she is off mood.

Even though the world sees biking skills as associated with men, Shabnam never let his passion fall into divides created by society.

She says that biking has nothing to do with her being a woman.”I am proud of the fact that I ride a bullet.”

Bikerani on the move

On the riding experience, Shabnam says, for her riding means freedom.” I want more women in India to be able to get this freedom. In any kind of decision, a woman's wish must be included. Women should not sit idle and say that they cannot do certain things and all bold actions are meant for men.

On the status of women, Shabnam says a woman should not have to take consent of others to make decisions. “It should not happen. Till the time women are not able to take independent decisions of their own free will, the society will remain the same.”

About her women bikers group, she says that Delhi's Bikarni group has more than 250 bikers ranging from the age of 18 to 55 years.

“Every Sunday we all go riding; there are doctors, engineers, policewomen, homemakers and professionals in the group. The feeling of 'I can do it'  vanishes at the sight of our women. Yes, no biker  is allowed to ride without helmets, gloves, jackets, arm-knee pads, etc,” she says.

During the groups’ awareness drives, we recommend fast riding enthusiasts to go to the racing track instead.