KOCHI: This happened some time ago. Let’s not quantify it in years or months. Every morning, a chartered accountant at Federal Bank, Febina K B, used to be dropped off at her office by her husband on his Royal Enfield Bullet. And in the evening, he would pick her again. A mother of two girls, she had a burning desire to drive the bike for herself after riding pillion all those years. Sensing her desire, her husband said one day, “Why don’t you ride? I’ll teach you how to.” Encouraged by this, Febina took on the heavy task with a light spirit. It started small: Just covering the small distance from her home to the office.
She is now part of the all-woman contingent, which is on a national motorcycle expedition from Kochi to New Delhi. The expedition, comprising six women Federal Bank employees, was flagged off by DGP (Prisons) R Sreelekha in an event held at the Federal Towers in Marine Drive, Kochi. The 20-day ride is expected to reach New Delhi on August 20.The team, between the age group of 22 and 41, is led by Merilyn Hamlet, who is a manager at the bank and has more than 30,000 km to her credit. Other than Febina and Merilyn, the members include Lavanya N, Sangeetha Sikhamani, Seetha V Nair and Surya Ravindran. Of the riders, some are married with children.
“I want to prove to my daughters that women can be independent and do whatever their gut tells them to do. And that they can dream and follow those dreams,” said Febina at the flagging off event.
According to the management, a selection process was done based on the women’s riding experience. Out of 36 women, six were selected. The group ranging from senior managers to clerks are called ‘Federal Angels’.
Brand new Royal Enfield Bullets were purchased for the adventure. The expedition covers various states and receptions will be arranged by the branches of the bank. In the flagging off event, Sreelekha commended the bank’s efforts to empower women. According to the management, the bank aims to spread the message of gender equality through the ride. “Though the ride engages woman employees, it aims to make people aware of the gender differences and dispel the disparity caused due to it,” said an officer at the bank.