Bengaluru's women skateboarders sizzle the street in this music video

Turning heads in a sensational music video, the Indian skateboarding scene, specifically, the skateboarders of Bangalore was highlighted in a song called 'Alpha Female' published by the famous English band, Wild Beasts. The video ideates and celebrates women who have contributed in bringing about a change and breaking societal taboos.

Leading the charge in the video is 25-year-old Atita Verghese, India's first professional skateboarder. Atita has been diligently promoting the sport across the nation. She is also the founder of Girl Skate India, an online platform started in 2014 to connect and inspire women to skateboard. She holds classes, clinics and tours to teach skateboarding to young girls across the country. The 'Alpha Female' video is thus a triumph for 24-year-old Atita Verghese and her constant efforts to cultivate and spread awareness about skateboarding.

Speaking on the unique concept of the video to The Wire, director Sasha Rainbow underlined why she chose to focus on Bengaluru's women skateboarders. "The current political climate in the west and attitudes of intolerance and sexism across the world, I wanted to create a video that celebrates everyone who takes the risk to be themselves."

In 2013, Verghese and the HolyStoked Collective worked together to build a skatepark in Bengaluru and also coordinated to teach underprivileged how to skate. In addition to this, they also taught their young students English, maths and photography. Then, they received funding from a German NGO to build ten more parks in other parts of India and five outside the country as well.

Verghese had also crafted a documentary of an all-girls skateboarding tour she did with 12 other female skateboarders from nine different countries. The group visited four Indian cities in 2015, travelling the country by bus to teach children about skateboarding.