At an event at Hero’s Global Centre for Innovation and Technology (CIT) in Jaipur, Rajasthan, Dr Pawan Munjal, Chairman, Hero MotoCorp, presented paraplegic Chitra with her very own purpose-built Harley-Davidson Road King. As he handed over the keys, he called Chitra “an inspiration to us all” and promised her that he would one day ride a pillion with her.
Chitra Zutshi, Deputy Manager, Hero MotoCorp, has been paraplegic since birth. And she has dreamt of owning and riding a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, against all odds, for a long. It was this dream that led Chitra to enter the “World’s Best Job” contest that Hero MotoCorp launched in October 2022, for a brand manager’s position in its Harley-Davidson Business Unit as the ultimate prize.
Zutshi’s never-say-die spirit ensured that she made it through to the final 13 contestants. Only three tasks stood between her and her goal, one of them being a motorcycle riding skills challenge. For understandable reasons, Chitra could not participate in that test, and although she did get to ride a pillion, the experience of gripping a chrome-laden handlebar and controlling her own ride was incomplete.
In keeping with its Mission to “Create, Collaborate & Inspire,” the team at Hero MotoCorp then came up with the idea of doing everything possible to enable Zutshi to realise her dream. Rajputana Customs helped the team to customise a Harley-Davidson Road King. The solution was to mount two auxiliary wheels at the rear to stabilise the ride, rendering it fit for Chitra’s special requirements. Zutshi piloted the Harley-Davidson Road King herself on the testing track at CIT in Jaipur, Rajasthan.
Ravi Avalur, Head, Harley-Davidson Business Unit, Hero MotoCorp, said, “Hero MotoCorp and Harley-Davidson believe in making dreams come true. This is not a convenient corporate statement; it is a fact. It was Chitra’s lifelong aspiration to ride a Harley Davidson solo and we are delighted that we could present her with a customised Harley Davidson Road King that will allow her to live her dream. Our riders are at the heart of everything we do, and seeing this heroic young woman ride the motorcycle has motivated us to continue in our endeavor to fulfill dreams of personal freedom.”
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