I recently stayed at the ITC Maurya as a part of their Responsible Fellowship Program. However, that story will wait for a while as there will be videos to go along with it. But I had the most pleasant surprise on my way back home, my driver was Seema and it was my first experience of interacting with a woman taxi driver in Delhi!
The women connection immediately clicked and we started chatting. I asked her how did she decide to become a taxi driver? She said her parents were not happy at all with her decision initially. She learned driving with the help of Azad Foundation! Her parents wanted her to learn sewing instead of driving and she tried her hands at it for a while! But she gave it up after a few days, she was just not cut out for sewing! She wanted to be outdoors and driving felt like a nice calling!
I asked her if it was easy to drive on the Delhi roads? She had no complaints about driving in the Delhi Traffic. She also was happy working with the hotel travel agency, she was only assigned day duty.
She told me it had been six years since she was driving, 5 years she worked with the Azad Foundation’s Taxi Service, Sakha. She and a friend of her’s, Savita shifted together to ITC one year ago!
She loves driving for the hotel as she gets to meet guests from all walks of life. She enjoys gathering information about other countries by talking to the foreign guests!
I asked her what was the most challenging aspect of her job? She said if she was on a day long sight-seeing duty in Delhi, the lack of washrooms was her biggest challenge! Other than that, nothing else bothered her too much!
She said her parents were now happy with her decision! She liked her job as well! And I was happy that I met her!
That’s so cool! Azad Foundation is doing such a wonderful job.
Lack of washrooms is indeed a challenge in our country as of now!
I agree Arun and it is stories like these that make travel so much more meaningful!
Very inspiring story Mridula.
Thank you Ravi!
Great to read. Thanks for sharing .
Thank you Rupam!
That is so positive!
I liked her. 🙂
Thank you Indrani!
This ones inspiring
Thank you Tarun!
Great tribute Mridula!
I need to learn from her as I am jittery when driving in Delhi:(
Amit I was amazed that she didn’t crib about driving, when I used to commute daily, I cribbed no end about it!
I like the bit where she says that she like working with hotels as she gets to meet new people. Salute her !
Indeed Atul it was an amazing meeting!
Happy to meet an enterprising woman.
Me too Easwar!
Liked her spirit and zeal. Thanks, Mridula, for sharing such a sweet inspiring story 🙂
Thank you Ravish, I too was thoroughly impressed by her!
Splendid story of one from everyday hero Mridula.
Thank you Chaitali!
An inspiring read..
thanks for sharing this
Thank you so much Kamar!
Things like these simply brighten up my day! Such a wonderful story. May her tribe increase 🙂
Indeed Divsi she brightened my day too!
Good to know about such women.
Yes indeed it was such an amazing experience!
Very inspiring and feel good to see such progress. Thanks for sharing this
Indeed it was so good that I came across Seema!
This is great. It will be fun and enriching to chat with her. May I ask which travel agency she works for?
Atul I forgot the name of the travel agency so sorry!
Inspirational post .
Because I found an inspiring woman!
Interesting! Good to read about such women.
Thank you so much, I too fund her inspiring!