Motorcycle riding is often said to be therapeutic and this exercise gives you wings of freedom and a lot more. However, it takes a lot more to ride a motorcycle than to be able to hold a driving license for these two-wheeled machines. We are talking about confidence and passion, which Chitra Zutshi has in abundance in herself. The deputy manager at Hero MotoCorp is a paraplegic since birth. And, he has dreamed of owning and riding a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, against all odds, for at least a long time. This dream inspired Chitra to enter the “World’s Best Job” contest, which was launched by Hero MotoCorp in October 2022, as the final prize for a brand manager position in the Harley-Davidson business unit.
Chitra’s never-say-die spirit ensured that she made it to the final 13 contestants. There were only three tasks between him and his goal, one of them being a motorcycle riding skills challenge. For understandable reasons, Chitra couldn’t take part in that test, and though she got a chance to ride pillion, the experience of holding the chrome-filled handlebar and controlling her ride was incomplete.
The Hero MotoCorp team now faced a tough challenge. Keeping in mind their mission to “Create, Collaborate and Inspire”, the Hero MotoCorp team came up with the idea of doing everything possible to enable Chitra to realize her dream. Rajputana Customs helped the team customize the Harley-Davidson Road King. The solution was to mount two supporting wheels at the rear to stabilize the ride, making it suitable for the figure’s special requirements.
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At an event at Hero’s Global Center for Innovation and Technology (CIT) in Jaipur, Rajasthan, Dr. Pawan Munjal, President, Hero MotoCorp, presented Chitra with her own purpose-built Harley-Davidson Road King. As he handed over the keys, Dr. Munjal called Chitra “an inspiration to all of us” and promised her that he would one day ride past her.
Under the supervision of an expert and for a safe riding experience, Chitra was provided with a rider’s training on the control units, which were to be operated by hand. He also learned to keep his vehicle under control calmly and skillfully in unexpected situations. He himself drove the Harley-Davidson Road King at the test track at CIT in Jaipur, Rajasthan.