Humaira Mushtaq is the first and only female professional car racer from Jammu and Kashmir, breaking stereotypes and records. Born with a passion for speed, she began racing go-karts at the age of four and moved on to Rotax karting by six. Her talent and dedication eventually led her to compete in single-seaters, touring cars, GT, and F2/F3 cars.
“Following my heart brought me to the race track. Racing, cars, and automobiles have always fascinated me. It was a passion I carried since childhood,” she said.
“My career actually started when I was four. Racing came naturally to me. As a child, I was always fascinated by cars. My dad noticed this early on and encouraged it—he gave me my first toy car at three, which sparked it all. I always played with boys because they had cars, and I never enjoyed dolls. Noticing this, my dad got me a custom-made go-kart when I was four. I travelled abroad a lot, and my father built a track for me at home where I practised. Eventually, we needed a larger space as I grew. Although my parents were doctors and not racers, my dad had a passion for motorsports. By five, I was competing, often as the only girl racing with boys. I did it for the love of the sport, not just for competition,” said Humaira, who cites Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton as inspirations.