Autorickshaws driven by women are a common sight in the capital today. But did you know that the first woman auto driver made her appearance in this city 20 years ago?
Meet R Saraswathi, who ventured out to the city roads with her Bajaj auto (KL-01 D 5626) for the first time on June 17, 1994. She was just 28 years old then.
‘’In those days, people used to watch in amazement when they saw a woman driver,’’ she recalls. Saraswathi, who lives at West Fort, stationed her auto at the Thampanoor stand. Learning to drive an auto was not that easy in those days, she says. ‘’I got a lot of support from my family. But when I started learning, people discouraged me telling that driving autos is a man’s job.’’
When the then Transport Minister R Balakrishna Pillai announced that women who can drive will be given autorickshaws, she again went to the nearby driving school asking them to teach her to drive an auto.
‘’That time they were willing. But I had to wait for some more time for an auto. Later, I got an auto with the help of the then District Collector Niveditha P Haran. I really thank her for that,’’ says Saraswathi.
Saraswathi had never dreamt of becoming an auto driver. She was once an employee at a utensil store. Later, she moved to marketing of clothes and furniture, before moving into the role of an auto driver. For 20 years, Saraswathi, now 48, had driven her Bajaj. ‘’Many film stars and ministers have travelled in my auto. Those memories are enough for me,’’ she says.
However, she has now switched to a Maruti Omni which she uses to drop and pick up students from school. According to her, she changed jobs after her mother was murdered by some people who also damaged her auto.
‘’Today my day starts at six in the morning and I will be busy till 9.30 am. At 1.30 pm, I pick students from school and convent. Now I had 20 school students as my customers. I also teach driving two-wheelers, three-wheelers and four- wheelers,’’ she said.
‘’I started driving to earn my daily bread. Now I don’t have a vehicle of my own. I turned to taxi but it is not in good condition also. Now I hope God will help me,’’ adds Saraswathi.