How often does a storyteller turn into the story itself? It’s as rare as seeing a globetrotting Formula One journalist from a cricket-loving South Asian nation in the vast media center of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
If the journalist is a woman, it adds an intriguing layer of mystery.
For Niharika Ghorpade, her passion for motorsport was ignited when her Formula One enthusiast father took her to a karting track years ago.
Despite her family’s automotive enthusiasm, Ghorpade didn’t pursue a career in motorsport beyond karting in India. Her younger brother, Parth Ghorpade, did. As a five-time national champion in India and the first Indian to test drive with the Ferrari Driver Academy, he won the Formula Abarth Asian Championship.
Yet, Ghorpade has carved her own niche, becoming India’s sole full-time F1 journalist, having recently completed her 11th season as an accredited writer at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Originating from Kolhapur, Maharashtra, and overcoming challenges in a male-dominated Indian sports media, Ghorpade is a pioneer in Indian motorsport journalism, covering F1 cars, marvels of engineering, and thrilling races worldwide.
“In India, the gender dynamics are complex. We are still very much a patriarchal society. You must constantly prove your credibility and work tirelessly towards it,” Ghorpade shared about her challenging journey.
Despite establishing herself as a prominent voice from India, Ghorpade still faces yearly challenges traveling through the 24-race F1 season, spanning Asia, Europe, Australia, and the Americas.
“My (Indian) passport is a disadvantage; we need visas for most countries, unlike my media center colleagues from other nations,” she stated frankly.
“Also, the Forex is always against us. It’s logistically expensive and challenging to convince publications to support your budget, which is a struggle.
“Moreover, it’s a very British-dominated sport. PRs keep changing, requiring you to continuously rebuild relationships with each team, while your (Indian) publications are less recognized than the well-known ones in this sport.
“It’s indeed a challenging profession, and I had two choices — either let it overwhelm me or strive to survive and thrive. Now, it’s my biggest identity, being the only Indian journalist, male or female, covering the full F1 season.”
The person whose heart swells with pride seeing her cover F1 races and interview champions like Max Verstappen is her father, Karnsingh Ghorpade.
“He’s 71 now, but we both talk motorsport, the father-daughter thing in our family,” she said.
“So, it’s a unique household. Most families gossip at gatherings. But we debrief engines, strategy, and all of that,” she chuckled.
“It’s quite normal in our household. And he is proud of how far I’ve come on my road to F1 journalism.”
