A rally driver driven by passion to break stereotypes, and fearlessly go where her dreams take her

While many may not follow their passion: either held back by fear, gender or age-related stereotypes, societal conditioning or sheer lethargy, there are a few amongst us who choose to let their passion in life blaze a trail and forge ahead in life.

And one of them is Garima Avtar.

The face of the new campaign by Courtyard by Marriott, Garima is counted among India’s top rally drivers, a circuit which is traditionally male-dominated. In addition, she is also a vice-president with a corporate firm, and a TEDx speaker.

In recent years, the perception of success has changed and is no longer limited to finally getting that coveted corner office with the breath-taking view. What truly defines a successful person is how they take follow their dreams, embrace challenges and push boundaries. With a number of its guests embodying this new paradigm of success, Garima’s story as a trailblazer found resonance with the global hospitality major.

The short and stylish film called Driven juxtaposes Garima’s day on the track, along with vignettes from her stay at the hotel, in a reflection of how the Courtyard brand helps support her with its host of intuitive services.

For Garima, kicking up dust on the rally circuit was not out of the ordinary, considering she’s been rejecting gender stereotypes from a young age. By her own account, when her peers were playing with dolls, she was more fascinated by toy cars. In today’s changing society, where the Indian woman is trying to move past the roles traditionally assigned to her over the years and carve her own distinct identity, Garima’s is an inspirational story of how “Passion Moves Us Forward” in life.

She started actively participating in national-level rallies around 7-8 years ago, and has since participated in a number of motorsport events in the country such as the Indian Rally Championship, the Raid De Himalaya, Desert Storm, the Mughal Rally and the Autocross and Speed Sprints, many of which have seen her navigate extremely rigorous terrains. She’s also led an expedition of female drivers to Spiti, in Himachal Pradesh.

Trailblazers like Garima who, pursue their dreams and break stereotypes in the process, truly personify how success can be achieved when fueled by their passion.

Watch the video here. 

Taking inspiration from this film, and as a motivating start to this new year, why don’t you also step out of your comfort zone, take a chance on your dreams and pursue your passion?