Saluting courageous female drivers, Highway Hero Trust Honours inspiring women in Delhi

Highway Hero Trust honoured 11 female drivers on International Women’s day.

Women bus and truck drivers were among the awardees.

New Delhi: Women are walking shoulder to shoulder with men, but there are some fields where you cannot even imagine women joining the workforce. But, in reality women have proved their mettle by venturing into jobs dominated by male or traditionally seen as meant for men. When the steps taken towards self-reliance of women are recognised, then how can they not be respected?

Highway Hero Trust has taken steps towards honouring such coregious women drivers who have made a mark in a field largely seen as a job meant for men.  The Trust honoured these coregious women on the occasion of International Women's Day at an event in Delhi.

The women drivers honoured at the event included cab, bus and even truck drivers. These coregious women have set an example for all. The female drives have proven that determination and passion to learn can help you to overcome all troubles.

These success stories are of those women who are heroes for thousands and lakhs.

The most talked about person at the event was Sumitra who drives a bus from Delhi to Chandigarh.  Sumitra said that before starting as a bus driver, she kept driving cabs for eight years.  During this time, Sumitra would see men driving and the thought would come to her mind that there is talk of equality between men and women, but is there really equality at the ground level. That’s what inspired her to start driving a bus. She runs a bus from Delhi to Chandigarh every day.

“There are male passengers along with women in the bus I drive.  It's been a year since I started driving the bus,” she said.

Another inspiring story is of Sunita, a cab driver.  She drives luxury cars for a hotel since last few years.  The fleet includes expensive vehicles ranging from BMW to Audi and many more.  Sunita says that she is a single mother, so she has a major responsibility to run the family.  Driving is the means to support the entire family.

Shraddha Sikri is one among the few women drivers with a driving licence for a heavy vehicle. When women got the opportunity to get driving licence from the Delhi government, she took advantage of it and got one.  Now she aspires to drive a luxury bus.  Shraddha has also applied for this. 

Shraddha says, “Whether it is a cab or a bus, all these are machines.  Machines do not see whether the operator is a man or a woman.  Anyone can run it if they have the skill.  If fear is removed from the mind, anyone can do any kind of work.”

 Sharmila Sangwan, who was also awarded at this programme, drives a truck.  Sharmila is a resident of Haryana. Her husband died in a road accident 16 years ago.  After this Sharmila took the responsibility of family on her shoulders.  Sharmila, mother of two daughters, says that her journey from being a housewife to a working woman has been difficult.  Sharmila says that while driving a truck, she never even realised that this was a job for men.  When Sharmila took the responsibility of the family on her shoulders, it was yielding results.  Her elder daughter is taking pilot training. A hopeful Sharmila says that soon her daughter's training will be completed and her dreams will get wings.

Highway Hero Trust Chairman Balwant Bhullar has been playing an important role in honouring and encouraging these women who rule the roads.  Bhullar said that many of these women have been given training by his the Trust. 

“We are also going to launch an app in the future.  So that the demand of female drivers coming from the female passengers can be met.  This will also provide a big source of employment to women,” said Bhullar.

Woman Entrepreneur Priyanka Aga has an important role behind the scenes in honouring these brave women.  Priyanka says that she herself is a woman, so she can understand the pain, suffering and needs of women.  She feels good working for the welfare of women.  Priyanka says that through this programme, the morale of girls and women struggling with problems in family and personal life gets a boost and they would become self-reliant.