The only horse race trainer of Bengal

  • | Sunday | 26th February, 2017

Horse racing is also dependent on betting and you cannot get away with that. After all, she is the only woman in Bengal to have been involved in horse racing for the last 29 years.Arti's career began in 1988 at the Pune-Mumbai racing centre under senior trainer Uttam Singh. The racing life is short and if you have to consider the horse owners' interests, you have to retire them on time. 5 amThe name Arti Doctor is well-known in horse racing circles in Kolkata. If you get emotionally tied up, you might not be able to deal with them like a professional trainer should.

5 am The name Arti Doctor is well-known in horse racing circles in Kolkata. Ask for her at the RCTC grounds and anyone can take you to her stable. And why not? After all, she is the only woman in Bengal to have been involved in horse racing for the last 29 years.Arti's career began in 1988 at the Pune-Mumbai racing centre under senior trainer Uttam Singh. A graphic designer by training, Arti entered racing in 1988. "I joined this profession out of passion. My father and brothers were into racing. So, from childhood I used to go riding and was very much habituated with horses. I joined Uttam Singh as a junior assistant and became the first woman in India to have a license to train horses," she said.Arti, in her 50s, looked fresh and confident as we met her at the stables. On being asked about her Kolkata chapter, she said, "I had to train under Uttam for twenty years, so I stayed in Mumbai till 2008. I shifted to Kolkata in 2009. It was a career move for me. There is lesser competition here and a lot more to explore. Before shifting, I actually did go up-and-down for a year and a half to see how it works. And look, I think we are doing pretty well now. I train 45 horses now. So, I have no regrets over leaving Mumbai."'Being in an unconventional job, is it tough to get a life partner for a working woman?' we asked her. "No! Not at all," the NID graduate snapped back. "I am single by choice — and not for a lack of guys. Love has knocked at my door several times. But I chose not to commit to a family so that career moves are easier for me. I have very close-knit family so I never felt lonely. I chose my career over other things and my family has always been very supportive."Arti is now assisted by two of her nephews. Her day starts atand ends late in the evening. "Racing days are pretty hectic though, as we don't get time at all to take a break," she added.Dealing with such beautiful creatures, one can easily get emotionally attached to them. But, for racers and trainers, any attachment with the horses can affect the business, or so Arti told us."Every February we get a batch of new horses and retire a few. Initially, in my younger days, I would often get attached to many of the horses but not anymore. If you get emotionally tied up, you might not be able to deal with them like a professional trainer should. The racing life is short and if you have to consider the horse owners' interests, you have to retire them on time. So, there's no point in making a long-term connection. All of these horses stay with me for a maximum of three years."In this male-dominated society, being the first woman in an offbeat profession can cause a number of roadblocks on your path to success, Arti said."Initially, it was tough to break the ice. I heard people saying that not many would trust me with their horses. Fortunately I got some owners who trusted me and they are with me till now. There are 50 trainers from whom the owners can choose from. Mostly, I had horses from breeders. They knew that my trainer was a very senior person, so they had that confidence in me. Horse racing is also dependent on betting and you cannot get away with that. I am lucky that I have been able to keep myself off these practices on the grounds. Badmouthing happens in all professions," she said.

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