Mamta Poojari, who hails from Dehradun, is the first female cab driver in Uttarakhand. It was her desire to obviate the family from its financial problems that compelled her to take up this profession.
Family Background
The girl's father is a retired government teacher. Both her sisters are married. She was preparing for competitive exams when Shruti Kaushik, secretary of NGO ‘Saheli Trust’, persuaded her to take up a career in commercial driving.
Interestingly, the 35-year-old not only drives the cab but also trains other women interested in driving. “I am coaching women interested in driving. This will have dual benefits -- first, the women will earn and second, we can make Dharam Nagari a safer place.”
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NGO Saheli Trust
The trust has launched ‘She Cab’. It is a van exclusively for women, but finding full-time female drivers was an onerous task.
“The idea is to provide exclusive cabs for women, keeping their security in mind. But getting a female driver was tough. Mamta was keen and we gave her training. We want women who come from weaker sections of society to take up driving for supporting their families,” Shruti says.
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The objective is to help women earn money and provide them with safer options of travelling. “The security of lone women passengers is why we started this service. We also want to cater to foreign women tourists,” Shruti says.
It is heartening to see women like Mamta breaking stereotypes to foray into fields considered "male-dominated" for very long. Their resolve to fend for themselves and their family is commendable.
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Picture credit: HT
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