International Womens Day: International Women’s Day: Female auto drivers on wheels of change | India News
Shireen Ansari: Female auto driver from Mumbai
This picture: It’s a rainy day in Mumbai. On the chaotic, wet streets of Mumbai, you raise your hand to hail an auto when one pulls in front of you. Rushing to save yourself from the wet drizzle, you quickly sit inside. When you look into the driver’s seat to say ‘auto wale bhaiya’ about your destination, you witness something that doesn’t count as a common sight. A person wearing a hijab, looks at you and smiles, saying, “This auto wall is not bhaiyya, it’s a didi.”This is not just a fictional scenario but a reality not only in Mumbai but across the streets of various cities in India.Shireen Ansari, the ‘Dabangg lady’, drives the handlebars of the autorickshaw, not only through heavy traffic but also through the maze of social scorn.
It’s been eight years since he first started owning his own auto, a three-wheeled orange beast Although the car was originally built for his injured son, it seems the machine had a different owner in mind the whole time, an owner who would achieve destinations on the road and milestones in Ansari’s life.Shireen’s story, and hundreds like her, are driving change. These women are not just carrying passengers; They are breaking down gender barriers, one kilometer at a time, in a profession where men have long held the throttle. However, it would be inappropriate to mention pioneers like Limca World Record Holder, Sheela Daor of Pune, who was recognized and enlisted as India’s first woman auto driver. With just Rs 12 in his pocket, he took the steering wheel of his life as he later became a successful entrepreneur, setting up his own travel agency, Bighnaharta Tourism, in Pune.Having worked as an auto-driver for over 13 years, paving the way for future generations of women to enter an unconventional, male-dominated career in public transport, she has also been honored by the President of India as the country’s “First Lady”, a title given to women who set first milestones in their respective fields.The bottom line? When we usually refer to certain professions, from white-collar jobs like doctors and CEOs to autorickshaw drivers, these women are literally going that extra mile.By reclaiming these spaces, they are breaking gender norms and redefining what it means to celebrate femininity in the modern world.
‘Dabang Lady ‘Mumbai
Shireen is not your regular auto driver. He’s practically a celebrity now. The respect and recognition he has earned certainly includes the “auto-driver brothers” and the locals. However, it also extends to some prominent Bollywood personalities. This is how his work landed him a role in a film.Fame struck unexpectedly: director Leena Yadav, widely known for her feminist movies like Parched, spotted her illuminated orange rickshaw on her way to the hospital. He then cast her in a film Jacqueline Fernandez.“I was nervous, I told him, don’t act. But he was very kind to me, and he said don’t worry, we’ll teach you this,” marvels Shireen, recalling lovingly feeding khichdi on the sets and the first time she found out she would be working with Jacqueline Fernandez.Television personalities like Archana Puran Singh, when they came to know about her, came to meet her.
However, it wasn’t all hunky dory for him when it all started.Divorced fifteen years ago after a marriage dragged into the shadow of triple talaq, she has become a single mother of three children.Drawing from his hard-earned savings, he took a loan of Rs 4.5 lakh to buy an autorickshaw. Although he initially bought the car for his son, he had no way of knowing that it would eventually become his own lifeline.“I was very tense,” she recounted in her candid interview. “The auto was idle for two months while I struggled to pay the weekly EMI.”Before taking up the wheel, she supported her family as a hospital patient attendant and even ventured into business with a biryani stall. However, that dream ended in financial loss after the stall was closed during the BMC raid.Pushed by financial pressure and the steady encouragement of his friends, he finally decided to take the driver’s seat himself.
Female auto driver Shireen Ansari welcomes her ‘auto driver brothers’ and honors her with garlands
Although he started out as a hesitant driver, his bravery did not go unnoticed. When he went to claim his official permit, the officers present burst into cheers; They were witnessing a milestone, as she was the first woman in her region to be granted a commercial driving license for cars.Now, he clocks 12-14 hours a day, from 7 am to 10 pm, with no midday break.“I drive by the rules—no signal jumping, no wrong turns, sticking to the rules and my policies. The police salute me,” he beams, as commuters clap, college students line up for selfies and stories.Shireen’s ‘Dabangg Lady’ moniker? Born out of collar-grabbing showdowns with eve-teasers who mistook him for easy prey.“They tried to have fun; I got beat up,” he laughs, his auto a rolling testament to steel-clad soft power.
Women in a male-dominated field
Shireen’s personal journey from a struggling single mother to a local celebrity is part of a larger, national shift in India’s workforce.While she once felt “stressed” about her idling vehicle, she is now among the pioneers entering the informal transport sector – a sector where women account for around 12% of all driving licenses as of 2020.This movement is particularly significant in a state like Karnataka, where only 6% of professional drivers are women according to Ms. Chavi Mathur’s “The Rise of Feminine Leadership Edition-II”.By taking the wheel, women like Shirin are doing more than just collecting rent, they’re claiming their “right to the city,” reclaiming public streets that have historically been considered male-dominated spaces.Research shows that family stress, such as widowhood, divorce, or a male breadwinner losing their job, is often the primary trigger for women entering the profession. However, this path to freedom is paved with significant financial risks.A survey of Chennai drivers found that 93 percent women carry outstanding loans for their vehicles, often over Rs 1.41 lakh on average. While the job provides funding for their children’s education and a way to improve their situation at home, many remain vulnerable to economic downturns, as seen during the COVID-19 lockdown, when some drivers were unable to pay rent for months.
Beyond individual survival, these drivers are acting as “catalysts for social transformation.”When a woman drives an auto, it changes the way the city works and feels. Many female commuters report “feeling more secure” when they see a woman behind the wheel, especially during late-night commutes. It creates a safe urban network and fosters a “sisterhood” of mutual support among drivers.Despite these advantages, the “grit” required is immense.Some women in cities like Pune say they need to adopt a “masculine attitude” and more assertive behavior to escape the social stigma and harassment they face on the streets.According to Shirin, “When I was driving a rickshaw, many looked at me badly. Many tried to shake hands with me. Many had fun sitting in the rickshaw.”“Why would I do that? There are so many ways to do it. Then I hit them by the collar. That’s how I got the name, Dabangg Lady,” she added.
Gears of Change: Programs Supporting Women Drivers
To support this rising tide of female leadership, government and institutional programs are beginning to provide the necessary “gears” for change. These initiatives go beyond just licensing; They focus on building a sustainable ecosystem for women in transportation.
- Mission Shakti (Uttar Pradesh) trained more than 56,200 women in its first phase and another 18,750 in the second phase to drive electric auto-rickshaws.
- In Tamil Nadu, the government recently distributed autorickshaws to 148 women and two transgender persons under a specialized state subsidy scheme.
- The “Pink Auto” initiative in Jaipur and Ranchi has trained hundreds of women, many of whom eventually own their own businesses and e-autos, providing them with long-term income stability.
- Firms like Sakha Consulting Wings and Kudumbashree stress that training should go beyond driving to include “soft skills”, vehicle maintenance and digital navigation tools like Google Maps.
For this movement to last, cities must invest in “pink auto stands” that include proper lighting, CCTV and public toilets to ensure driver safety.Shirin’s story of solidarity, symbolized by garlands of gifts from fellow rickshaw pullers, stands in stark contrast to the invisible walls many others face.
‘Jobs reduce chances of marriage’
An attempt to document the story of another woman auto driver brought out another side of this reality.An auto driver from Delhi, who did not want to be named, covered his face for fear of being recognised. He explained that since he is single, he is not willing to reveal his identity.Although initially keen to share his journey, his brother intervened, ‘refusing’ permission to speak to TOI. His response reveals a painful reality.For many single women in this profession, driving is a secret to protecting their “image” and marriage prospects. They are caught in a gender paradox, skilled and willing to navigate the city, yet bound by the permission of male family members.In public spaces, they must pay a “character tax”, questioning their morality for working outside the home.While International Women’s Day celebrates the progress women have made in reclaiming public space, many are still waiting for the movement to reach out and let them live on their own terms.
