Arshi Gupta becomes India’s first female National Karting champion. (ANI)

Nine-year-old Arshi Gupta from Delhi Public School, Faridabad, has become India’s first female racer to win a National Karting Championship title. Competing in the Micro Max class against both boys and girls, she secured the 2025 FMSCI National Karting Championship at the Meco Kartopia circuit in Bengaluru, marking a historic achievement in her second year of competitive racing.Born in Faridabad on October 18, 2016, Arshi races under Leapfrog Racing. She demonstrated her exceptional skills by winning Round 3 at the Madras International Karting Arena in August 2025, followed by victories in Coimbatore.This victory makes her the first girl to claim a National karting championship in the Indian Rotax series’ 21-year history, also making her the youngest champion.In the final round, Arshi showcased remarkable performance by winning both the Pre-Final and Final races in the Micro Max class for ages 8 to 12 years. She advanced from mid-grid to win the Pre-Final and converted her pole position into victory in the Final.Arshi began her National karting journey in early 2024 after her father discovered her passion for speed during cycling activities. She trained at a local Gurugram track under coach Rohit Khanna in 2023, news agency ANI reported.“She loved karting from day one and would insist on going every weekend, then on. If I skipped once, I had to make it up the next week,” her father, Anchit Gupta, was quoted as saying by the news agency ANI.Starting with the Meritus Cup in 2024, Arshi progressed to the Rotax Nationals as the youngest female competitor. She enhanced her skills through extensive training, including a five-month stint in the UAE and a 10-week program in the UK.She holds an India Book of Records title as the youngest female to receive a National Karting License. In September 2025, she represented Team India at the Asia Pacific Motorsports Championships in Sri Lanka, securing fourth place in the Mini category Karting Sprint event.“Yes, I’m very happy–and I want to race more!” said Arshi while riding a kid scooter on the track after winning the championship.