Women on Wheels breaking the glass ceiling

Indore: Meet Ranjita and Sonam, the women cab drivers who have broken the glass ceiling by joining the profession where women are rarely seen. They work for an Indore-based fleet services firm, ‘Sakha’ which means friend in Hindi.

Ranjita is from Indore and mother of two - son (18) and a daughter (16). Sonam has got two sons. The two ladies are working as car drivers so as to feed their school going kids.

Initially, it was not easy to venture into the driving job for them. “The moment my father came to know of my plan to become a professional driver, he got angry and started yelling at me,” says Sonam.

However, both of them got an uninitiated support from their husbands which helped them realise their dream job of car driver.

Ranjita, who hails from Indore and has lost her husband a few years ago, says, "I often take families to distant places like Mahakaleshwar and Omkareshwar and often have to be out for 2-3 days." Sonam, who hails from remote place like Nimar in Madhya Pradesh, had started her career by driving kachada collecting vehicle by the local civic body. However she didn't find it interesting enough and hence joined a fleet services providing firm some five years ago. When there is no advance booking in place, they drive their cars as Ola drivers.

In fact, these women have set an example for others to follow.