Breaking the glass ceiling, Deepamol becomes Kerala's first woman ambulance driver

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: On International Women’s Day, P G Deepamol is set to start her new job as an ambulance driver. In getting behind the wheels of one of the ‘KANIV-108’ ambulances, the Kottayam resident will be breaking into yet another male bastion. She is set to become the first woman driver with the health department’s ambulance service, and one of the few women driving a traveller-type ambulance in the country. 

A lifelong passion for driving and an eagerness to use it to save lives led her to choose the job at the age of 42. Irrespective of gender, it is hardly meant for the faint-hearted. For the job involves seeing a lot of blood while taking accident victims to the hospital, and is one where every second matters. But Deepamol has already proved that she is up for the challenge by earning a driving licence for the same. The ‘KANIV 108’ ambulance executives are satisfied with her driving skills and achievements. She is the lone woman to make it to the final list, from among three applicants. She will be deployed in Kottayam. 

“Women shouldn’t confine themselves to the kitchen, rather come to the forefront by using the skills they have. We should have the will to take up any job to gain financial independence,” Deepamol said. She received her light motor vehicle licence in 2008 and a heavy vehicle license the following year. When her husband, Mohanan, was down with illness, she supported the family by taking up driving as a profession.

She has donned the role of a driving school instructor, taxi driver, and a tipper lorry driver for a living. In between, she also realised her dream of a solo bike trip from Kottayam to Ladakh, completing the journey in 16 days in 2021. She became an off-road champion too, in her maiden competition held at Kunnamkulam. 

Minister for Health and Women and Child Development Veena George supported her decision to become an ambulance driver. Deepamol will be an inspiration for other women to choose ambulance-driving as a career, the minister said. Veena will hand over the ambulance key to Deepamol at a function scheduled at Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday.

Deepamol has a son, Deepak.