Breaking stereotypes, not limits: 18-year-old girl sets record driving across snow-covered Spiti

At an age when students struggle to break into colleges of their choice, 18-year-old Mehreen Dhillon is creating records and breaking the stereotypes associated with troubled teens.

A student of B.Tech (Electrical and Communication Engineering) at JP Institute, Noida, Dhillon created a record in the India Book of Records for being the youngest female to drive across the Winter Spiti Circuit in snow. As part of her feat, she drove a Maruti Jimny on snow-covered roads in a convoy of 82 four-wheelers in February this year. The circuit included the rough terrain through Kalpa, Shimla, Kaza, Manali, Rampur, before terminating at Shinku La Pass, covering a total of 1,192 km in seven days.

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Speaking with The Statesman, Dhillon, a trained Bharatnatyam dancer, said she always had a “driver’s bug” within her. “I used to watch my father take us on long drives, and it always fascinated me. I learnt to drive while I was in the 11th class. My parents promised that if I topped the board exams in class XII, they would buy me my own car. That’s how I ended up with my Jimny,” she said.

Sharing her experience about the record-creating drive, Dhillon said that it was an enriching experience, which was not only adventurous but also very informative. “Driving solo and driving with a group make a lot of difference. We had almost 85 vehicles in the group, and I was the youngest driver. I learnt so much from everyone’s experience and the guidance I got during the ride,” she said. Dhillon extended gratitude towards Shashwat Gupta and Suraj Tayal, founders of the Mountain Goat team, who organised the drive. “They have always been my key motivator throughout my growing days, as well as the sponsors for the entire trip. Now, they are planning for an all-India trip to showcase women empowerment by covering 1,000 km/per day in a 10-day drive,” added the young record holder.

In a message to her peers in society, the young girl said that as youngsters, we should never be afraid to pursue our dreams. “Society will always have a certain set of stereotypes when it comes to youth and especially women. But we should try to push them away. Don’t let those stereotypes let the spark in you die, no matter what you are doing.” Dhillon is now eyeing a trip to Ladakh, where she aims to scale Umling La, the highest motorable pass in the world, located at an altitude of 19,024 feet.

Speaking about his daughter, Dharam Dhillon, Head of Training at Tech Mahindra, said that they have never pushed her for anything. “As parents, we always tell her not to constrain herself to just one thing. We have always encouraged her to try new things. You never know that the life choices you make will take you to another level in life,” he said.