The Kashmiri version of motorsport racing in Srinagar has a new champion – mother of a 12-year-old child. Yes, you heard it right. Nighat Faheem, a courageous woman hailing from Ali Jan Road in Srinagar, has etched her name in Kashmir’s motorsport history, as she became the first woman from the region to secure the top position in the District Srinagar Auto-X Race, marking a significant milestone in the sport. Faheem, who is the mother of a 12-year-old daughter, has been passionately involved in car racing for over a decade. She proudly clinched the first prize in the ‘Gypsee category’ at the recent District Srinagar Auto-X Race event. In the previous decade women in Kashmir have enjoyed phenomenal success in sports of all fields, be it indoor or outdoor. One of our female athletes has even been a coach of the national women’s team in Kayaking. In martial arts scores of our young athletes have made it big and won numerous awards. From the field of education to the field of sports women in Kashmir are excelling big time. Readers outside Kashmir may find it hard to believe that a married woman with a 12-year-old kid has won in the Gypsee category in an Auto-X race event. Kashmir is heaven when it comes to off-road biking or motor racing. The very terrain is challenging. Even the normal roads on highways have challenging hair-pins bends that are difficult to negotiate if the weather turns awry. Kashmir has a huge potential when it comes to off-road racing and rallies. A lot needs to be done to do the marketing in this regard. It also has to do with the fact that from the last decade or two Kashmir is witnessing an economic boom and a lot of people from the middle-class section of the society can afford a high-end motor bike or a Sports Utility Vehicle. The scope for off road rallies led tourism is thus quite high. We see a group of off-roaders here in Kashmir organise off-road motor rallies over the weekend. A good number of these off-road drivers are women. It is a pleasing trend and should be encouraged. Such moto rallies conducted under the strict watch and guidance of the administration can help a great deal in boosting tourism. We once again congratulate Nighat Faheem and wish her all the best for the future.
