Shalini Sharma, The 50-Year-Old Chandigarh Biker Who Healed From Pain After Hitting The Roads
Life threw every curveball at her. Early marriage, a sick child and a devastating loss. But Shalini Sharma didn’t give up. Instead, she revved up.
Published : October 8, 2025 at 3:21 PM IST
Chandigarh: If you thought 50-year-olds only opt for a quiet walk or family time, a woman in the same age group from the city chose a different path - not to tread but to conquer the road on her bike. Sporting a leather jacket and wearing a helmet, she zooms past on a gleaming bike, turning heads on Chandigarh’s wide boulevards with the sound of the engine’s roar. That’s Shalini Sharma, a homemaker, mother, and passionate biker Shalini, for whom the road has never just been about speed. Rather it has been a journey that helped soothe her pain and rediscover herself.
“I loved the sound of motorcycles when I was barely ten years old. So my fondness for bikes developed pretty early in life,” Shalini recalls as her eyes light up. Growing up in Uttarakhand, she never missed a chance to ride a Luna, a scooter, or a motorcycle.
But for the bike enthusiast, life took some fast and difficult turns. She was married early, and also became a mother too soon. The result: She got busy with responsibilities and her childhood passion quietly took a backseat. Life for her shifted gears.
Her son’s birth brought her life to such a state that she had to forget about herself. The birth of her first child proved catastrophic due to a doctor’s mistake during delivery. “My son Rishu suffered a brain hemorrhage. The doctors told me he wouldn’t live beyond five,” says she, filled with emotion.
Their prediction became my resolve- that I would prove them wrong. Rishu survived for over two decades, and Shalini fed him, managed his medicines, and watched over him every moment. For her Rishu was at the centre of her life. But in 2023, Rishu passed away, and her world collapsed.
“I thought I had no reason to live. But my husband stood by me and reminded me that Rishu never wanted me to be sad. So I have to say yes to life,” recalls Shalini.
Her husband, Kamal Sharma, a banker by profession, spent the weekends with Shalini motivating her to pursue her biking passion once again. “He made me ride the bike again so that I can get back to life and feel alive again. That’s how I returned to biking,” she says.
Soon, she conquered Chandigarh roads once again signaling her comeback.
With confidence, she ensured her tribe grew. She founded a biker group called ‘Mitraan Di Motorcycle Mandali’, (meaning friends’ group of motorcycle riders) a name that celebrates Punjab’s warmth and camaraderie. Though in the beginning there were only a handful of enthusiasts, now over 85 male and female riders have joined the group and meet on weekends to explore the open roads together.
“We are not just bikers, we are like a family. We celebrate festivals together, support each other, and ride for causes like women’s safety and health awareness,” says Shalini.
When she is not on the road, Shalini shares her biking adventures and reels across social media platforms. But her posts carry a message of hope. After what she went through, she makes sure everyone finds a new meaning in life.
“It has been difficult. I faced social criticism, family pressure and was at times, even in doubt. But I learned that it’s important to keep your passion alive to survive in this world,” she asserts.
She lives with her husband, parents, and fond memories of Rishu. She is a mother to two more children, her daughter Priya who is married and son Sameer, settled in Canada.
“All of us live. But to live life well, you have to accept it as an adventure. It is important to keep your hobby alive. Do not let your problems become obstacles,” she says, adjusting her helmet before another long ride.
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