ERODE: Over the years, women have made giant strides in empowering their lot. What was once considered out of reach is now settled firmly in their grasp. Driving was once such domain. While perception shift has ensured that no one gapes in surprise when a woman is behind the wheels, A P Sathy (40) has taken the skills a notch higher by making money out of it too. Sathy has been driving tourist taxi for eight years now. She has completed more than 600 trips to places across south India, including Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Hailing from a small village in Erode's Gobichettipalayam, Sathy holds an MPhil in internal business and was an aspiring civil servant. On Women's Day, TNIE spoke to this inspiring person, who overcame various struggles to establish an independent life of her own. Sathy said, "I was the only child of my parents. My mother cannot speak, and my father abandoned us at an early age. We lived with my grandparents. I grew up facing a lot of issues just because I was a girl. I wanted to become a civil servant and completed my master's degree from Gobichettipalayam. Later, I moved to Chennai to do MPhil, all the while preparing for my UPSC examination for five years."
However, her life took a turn, and she was forced to pick up a job to take care of her mother. Sathy cleared the UPSC preliminary exam, but had to come back to her home town after her grandparents passed away. "I worked with a construction company for a while. During that period, I started driving my brother's car. When my friends visited me, I took them to Ooty in car. That was my first long trip. My friends identified my ability to drive safely and encouraged me to start a business. My sister-in-law supported me to buy a car. I started driving in 2013," she added.
There were detractors too. Some could not reconcile to the fact that a woman had taken up this profession; some others began a malicious campaign, advising prospective customers to avoid hiring her. Sathy took these critics in her stride.
"I do not just drive my customers to places, but also ensure that I am hospitable. I also guide them throughout the tour. I have a lot of women customers because they feel like I am one of their family," she said. One of her customers, Vanitha said that Sathy is an inspiration. "She's ready to drive both day and night. She has taken families, friends groups on long trips," she says.
Sathy now is a familiar face among taxi drivers in Gobichettipalayam and a lot of them take her advice on maintenance of car and mileage.
"I want women to be independent. Today, I am independent and earn a decent living. I have also taught a lot of women driving and they feel empowered. Although driving was not my dream job, I realized it was my calling. The moment I get on to a car, I leave all my worries behind and ensure my customers are happy," she signs off.