Mira Erda with her mom Nima Erda
Motorsports has always been a male-dominated field, but my mother’s unwavering belief in me gave me the confidence to pursue it,” says Mira Erda. On Mother’s Day, the racer, who has numerous podium finishes to her credit at national and international Formula 4 events, tells us how her mother, Nima Erda, continues to inspire her. Excerpts:
‘She has always encouraged me to do what I believe in’
My mom taught me to be fearless.
She was never scared when I started racing at a very young age and always encouraged me to do what I believe in. She always told me to have fun and pushed me to improve. It’s an expensive sport and my mom would cut down on other expenses to ensure that my training wasn’t impacted, and I could participate in more races. She knows how to invest money smartly and I am grateful to her for that.
‘My mom never holds me back’
Our bond has evolved over the years. Today, I travel alone for most of my races and my mom has to follow them online.
But even if she is a little apprehensive regarding my safety, she doesn’t show it and she never holds me back. She trusts me completely and believes that I can take care of any situation. She keeps saying that I can do better and that motivates me to try harder. She also tells me that I must go out and enjoy my life.
‘We love styling our own outfits’
When I was a kid, my mom loved dressing me up and she created my outfits. So, I would have nine different outfits during Navratri, which would be made out of her lehengas or other dresses. So, those outfits have a lot of sentimental value for me. Now, I love wearing her clothes. Also, instead of buying readymade clothes, we love styling our own outfits, especially if we have to attend a wedding or any other function. So, we shop together and buy materials.
After that, we love styling the entire outfit from scratch. It’s great fun.
Soumitra Das
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