Shimla: Whether negotiating the ups and downs of her life or the winding roads in the hilly regions, she is completely in control. Self-motivated, she steered clear of all the hurdles, to redefine her role not only as a woman, but as a trailblazer. She set the trend for others to follow, and became the Meenakshi Negi who got the distinction of being the first woman cab driver in the state.
Belonging to Kinnaur in Himachal Pradesh, it was the sheer zeal of 42-year-old Meenakshi that gave flight to her dream of driving a car. Today after years when she has established herself as a trusted cabbie, she aims at nurturing many more like her and also wishes to start a women's taxi union in the state and later take it to the national platform. "Many girls wishing to make driving their profession, are in touch with me. If they want to become self-reliant, I am always there to help," says Meenakshi who sees driving as quite 'liberating'.
"I go to places, in broad daylight and also late in the nights. My territory is not Shimla, I have gone way beyond to Delhi and Chandigarh. But when it comes to driving in Shimla, it is pretty safe for women," she adds.
Speaking exclusively to ETV Bharat, Meenakshi shares her experience when earlier, passengers were a little reluctant to board her vehicle. But with time she won their trust. "Now there are families, who call me up to take them or their family members to far off destinations even at night. It means a lot to me," says Meenakshi who had to bear with a lot of taunts from people, including her husband, when she took the decision to become a cab driver.
Though Meenakshi's husband is a government employee, she wanted to become self-sufficient and financially independent. Prior to marriage, Meenakshi used to do a job but had to quit after coming to Shimla.
Her keenness to learn driving was fuelled by her bus travels to school as a child. "I would sit in the front to see how the driver controls the wheels. And this fascination translated into a favourite pastime for me when, after marriage my husband helped me learn driving," says Meenakshi with a wry smile. Though initially she drove her children to school and brought them back, slowly she started picking up the kids from the neighbourhood and made it a part-time profession.
But all that came to a grinding halt during Covid-19 pandemic when schools were shut. Whatever little she was earning stopped. So paying the instalment of the car she bought and family expenses became a cause of concern. It was at this juncture that Meenakshi decided to work as a professional driver. But her decision met with stiff resistance from her family first and society later.
That driving is a male-dominated profession continues to rule the consciousness of many even today, she says. "After I started driving as a professional cabbie, my husband did not acknowledge my presence, let alone look at my face, for five months. He would mutter that he has done a mistake by helping me learn driving. I literally used to enter the house from the back door for those months," says an emotionally charged Meenakshi, tears welling up in her eyes.
Often she was the butt of people's jokes. Some even went on to conclude that she was a divorcee or a widow otherwise why would a woman become a driver. "Men would come running to see me drive. They would pass lewd remarks that 'I drive people crazy because I am a woman' and there are much more which I chose to forget. Otherwise standing by my conviction would have been difficult," explains Meenakshi, a graduate with two daughters, who consider her as their role model.
Today Meenakshi owns four cars and a house. Both her daughters are studying in a reputed school in Shimla. "I have a super mom and she has proved that women are no less than men. Today my mother is an inspiration not only for me but also for other women," says Alia Negi, Meenakshi's daughter.
Her husband too expresses happiness at what Meenakshi has achieved. "Thankfully, bad times are over. Now conditions have improved and other taxi drivers are cooperating. Even my husband supports me and I am happy to be able to contribute to the family income," says a content Meenakshi.
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