08 March,2010 10:44 AM IST | | Nuzhat Aziz
One of the few women Rallyists in India, Navaz Sandhu defied stereotypes and sizzled on the rally circuit for more than a decade
When we think of fast cars, it is almost always with a man at the wheel and a willing woman fawning over him. Navaz Sandhu has turned this stereotype on its head with her firm dominance over the rally circuit for almost 15 years.
LET'S GEAR IT FOR: Navaz Sandhu
She has always competed with men on an equal footing. Tell her that she has been an inspiration for other Indian women, and she brushes the compliment aside, adding that her driving skills are hardly anything to rave about.
With both parents and brother into the sport, rallying has always been a part of Navaz's life. As soon as she got her driving licence, she participated in her first rally, the 1987 Good Year Women's Rally. In 1988 and 1989, she participated in the Himalayan Rally. "It was one of the most gruelling events and it was amazing," she recalls. Then she was picked to be part of the European Championship in Germany.
"It was an awesome experience because we had to rally in a 300 horse power Mitsubishi Starion with a left hand drive. It was difficult to control because in those days in India we were driving 90 horse power cars," she enthuses.
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It was not easy for Navaz to juggle her passion for a male-dominated sport and her work in an ad agency. "Rallying was more of a passion. It was difficult to manage work and do rallying at the same time. So I had to stop rallying for almost five years before I took it up again," she reveals. Her husband Karandeep Sandhu
is also a national rally champion.
"You need to be passionate to be a rallyist. Parents usually don't encourage their daughters to take up this sport as they believe it's extremely dangerous.u00a0 That's why you don't see too many women in it," says Navaz, who nowadays drives a modest Swift.
After 15 years on the circuit, Chandigarh-based Navaz has called it a day now. She may not race anymore, but she indulges in her love for fast cars by test driving them.
