00:00My name is Bhagyashree Vara. I am a 23-year-old female motorcycle rider from northeast Assam.
00:07I usually make content related to bike and riding.
00:12Influencer Bhagyashree is from Nagaon, a district in the Indian state of Assam,
00:17where women riding motorbikes is considered taboo.
00:20Some families worry it could harm their reputation and even affect a woman's marriage prospects.
00:26Bhagyashree aims to change that. Her biggest dream, to earn a living through her motorcycle content and teach other women
00:33how to ride.
00:35There are still a lot of conservative areas here. In some places, people even think that riding a motorbike isn't
00:41really something girls should do.
00:45Despite pushback from her family, Bhagyashree saved up and bought her first bike at age 21.
00:52The first time she rode it, she felt something powerful, freedom.
00:56She wanted other women to feel it too, so she picked up her phone and started recording.
01:04The dream I've had since I was 13, I showed how I achieved it in that video.
01:11My first video got around 3 million views and I received so much love and so many kind comments right
01:19from the start.
01:22That really motivated me to keep making more videos and sharing more content.
01:30Bhagyashree filmed whatever she thought was interesting while travelling.
01:34For her, riding is not just about getting around, it's about independence and empowerment.
01:41If we women can ride motorbikes and explore places, it sends a really strong positive message to society.
01:52That's how I try to empower other women.
01:58But coming from a conservative society, backlash wasn't far behind.
02:03Bhagyashree tries to take it in stride.
02:05Some people just don't want to see women ride motorbikes, she says.
02:10Across India, more women are literally switching gears.
02:15Women's motorcycle ownership in some regions of India has surged over the past decade.
02:20It's driven by financial independence, access to education and shifting social attitudes.
02:26Now Bhagyashree wants to tackle a deeper issue.
02:28In her area, there are hardly any driving schools for women.
02:33I'm thinking of starting a good institute where I can properly train women in racing, biking, riding, motocross and more.
02:40That way I can empower them and bring them along on this journey with me.
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