Meet Basica Salam, The Skate Enthusiast Who Is Giving Wings To Dreamers With Longboarding

In the 1950s, surfing enthusiasts in Hawaii found a way to cruise on land on the days when the waves were weak. They customised boards by adding wheels to cruise the streets and replicate the thrill of water surfing, and thus was born longboarding. Longboarding, while similar to skateboarding, is distinguished by the extended surface areas of the boards surfers ride on. The sport made waves around the seafront promenades and soon spread worldwide. It was only in 2012 when longboarding found its place in India, and skate enthusiasts started what was called 'Longboard Crew India' (LCI).

In 2014, Basica Salam, a Manipuri woman, stumbled upon longboarding and created a legacy. Due to the sport's unpopularity, Basica faced many challenges while pursuing it. But today, longboarding has become her pride and joy, while she has become the nation's pride. To celebrate the story of Basica, Maruti Suzuki Alto, under its initiative #EkDeshEkShaan, is spotlighting her journey and showcasing the feats she has accomplished as a professional longboarder.

From her initial days, Basica has come a long way. Since 2014 she has never looked back, and today she has become an ambassador for Longboard Girls Crew India and a member of Longboard Women United. Longboarding has taught Basica how to deal with life's twists and turns and helped her touch the sky with her wheels. Now, Basica is on a journey to make a path for the whole nation by propagating this unique sport and empowering women and children across the country to fly as she did. Basica believes that true pride lies in trying to overcome an obstacle and craving a new path for oneself and having the right set of wheels can help one set afoot in the right direction.