Even after relaxing the admission criteria, around 20,000 engineering seats are
likely to go vacant this academic year
Grease and dirt will have most women wrinkling their noses
in disgust. Not Nidhi Agrawal. She is the first female TAD student from
the National Institute of Design to have zoomed into the male-dominated automobile
industry, powered by Honda. The Japanese firm has hired the final year student of
transportation and automobile design as a motorcycle designer.
The 25-year-old is mad about bikes. And her zeal caught the recruiters’ attention.
The competition was tough. I think apart from my work, it was my determination and
passion for bikes that clicked with recruiters from Honda R&D India. I hardly have
any idea about my pay package, but it surely will be motivating, says an ecstatic
Nidhi, the only female student in her batch.
Admirer of mean Machines:
She is currently doing her final six month diploma project with Royal Enfield in
Chennai. Nidhi is the only child but her parents never discouraged her from pursuing
her passion for motorcycles. My parents have no qualms about having a biker for
a daughter. They are very supportive, she says.
An ardent admirer of cruise and dirt bikes, Nidhi says, I was in love with bikes
since I was a kid. I used to ride my cousins CBZ bike before buying a Royal Enfield
Bullet. I love taking long bike trips with friends. In fact, I also plan to buy
a KTM Duke, a motor cross bike. Determined to make a career in automobiles, Nidhi
would frequent auto expos. During one such visit, she came across NIDs stall.
I found they had a course for automobile design and made up my mind to join the
institute, reveals Nidhi, who is the first female student to have gained admission
to the department since it began in 2006. When I joined, other students were curious
to know what could draw a girl to make a career in this industry. Gradually, they
realised I was as passionate about bikes as they were. Today, my batch mates are
my buddies.
Long way to go:
Nidhi, who got a special mention for best presentation during Pininfarina competition
held in 2010, believes she has a long way to go. I am evolving in terms of my concepts,
thinking and skills in this field. This is just the beginning. There is a lot more
to learn and design.
Meanwhile, praising his student, TAD co-ordinator Vipul Vinzuda said, Nidhi is the
first female student of the department and her achievement has made us very happy.
She is a hard-working girl who possessed the vigour to make a mark in the automobile
industry. Her background in architecture has given her an edge and added to her
sensibility towards designing. A female motorcycle designer is very rare in this
industry.
Courtesy: Times of India
