Vadodara, Gujarat: Vadodara’s Kinjal Raj, a 28-year-old motorcycle racer has created history by securing a podium finish in national-level track motorcycle racing, becoming the first woman from Gujarat to achieve a podium finish in national-level circuit motorcycle racing.
Representing Gujarat at Round 1 of the TVS Women’s One Make Championship, held at the Madras International Circuit (MIC), Chennai, on August 14 and 15, 2026, Kinjal finished third in the race, securing a prestigious podium position.
She competed on a race-specification 200cc TVS Apache RTR 200, taking on highly competitive riders at the national level.
Kinjal Raj Finishes Third Despite Shoulder Injury
Kinjal’s podium finish becomes even more significant because she competed through the race weekend while dealing with a shoulder injury and severe pain.
The injury affected her performance during the practice and qualifying sessions, making it difficult for her to perform at her best before the main race. Despite these challenges, Kinjal remained determined and fought until the end to secure third place. Her performance demonstrated not only racing ability but also the physical and mental resilience required in competitive motorsport.
Adapting Quickly to a Race-Spec Motorcycle
For Kinjal, the competition also involved adapting quickly to the characteristics of a race-specification motorcycle. She explained that competing against highly competitive national-level racers required her to understand the motorcycle and circuit conditions within a short period.
According to Kinjal, understanding braking points, cornering techniques, racing lines and motorcycle behaviour was particularly important while tackling the intense and technical corners of the Madras International Circuit. The ability to adapt to the motorcycle and circuit played an important role in her podium performance.
Coach and Training Facility Credited for Her Success
Kinjal credited her coach Chintan Mehta for his guidance, training and continued support throughout her racing journey. She also expressed gratitude to Traction Motodrom, Vadodara, where she trains.
Her latest achievement is being seen as an important step towards her larger ambition of competing at the international level and representing India in motorsport. Kinjal also hopes to contribute towards creating a safer and stronger motorsport culture for the next generation of racers from Gujarat.
Support from Vadodara’s Women Riders Community
Kinjal also acknowledged the continued support of Wings and Wheels, a women’s rider community group from Vadodara. She expressed gratitude towards God, her parents, family, friends, team members and everyone who has supported and believed in her racing journey. The support network has played an important role as she continues to pursue her ambitions in competitive motorcycle racing.
Vadodara’s Kinjal Raj Wants More Women to Enter Motorsport
For Kinjal, the achievement is about more than simply winning races. She wants to see greater participation of women in motorsport and hopes her journey encourages more riders to explore professional racing.
She also emphasised the importance of distinguishing track racing from riding on public roads. Kinjal urged riders not to treat public roads as race tracks and encouraged people who enjoy speed to experience it through properly organised racing environments where they can learn, train and compete safely.
“Public roads are not race tracks. Respect the roads and avoid unsafe riding.”
Her message highlights the importance of responsible riding while promoting motorsport as a structured and professional sporting discipline.
A Significant Moment for Women in Gujarat Motorsport
Kinjal Raj’s podium finish represents an important milestone for women in Gujarat’s motorsport community. Her achievement at the national level provides another example of the growing participation of women in competitive motorcycle racing and could encourage aspiring female riders from Gujarat to explore professional motorsport.
With international racing ambitions ahead, her third-place finish at the Madras International Circuit marks an important chapter in her racing journey.
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