Last year, 24-year-old Pratiksha Das became the only woman in Mumbai able to drive a BEST bus. Despite all the stares and doubts, she completed her 30-day training and received her license. Now, Pooja Devi, a mother of 3, has become the first female passenger bus driver in Jammu & Kashmir. Hailing from Sandhar-Basohli village in Kathua district, her maiden route was Jammu-Kathua on Thursday.
India Today quoted her saying, “I always wanted to become a bus or truck driver. I used to see myself driving heavy vehicles in my dreams. I belong to a very poor family. My father was a farmer. My family wasn’t able to educate me but I decided to take up driving as a career. My husband was initially against my decision to become a driver. He told me that driving is not a good profession for women. But I told him that I want to pursue my dreams.”
Congratulations to J&K Jammu's first woman bus driver Pooja Devi who ferries passengers from Kathua to Jammu.✨✨@RadioChinar @ChinarcorpsIA #Kashmir #kashmiri @rachitseth @smritiirani @OfficeOfLGJandK @UN_Women pic.twitter.com/npFRCilqon
— Baramulla Watch (@baramullawatch) December 25, 2020
Meet Pooja Devi, a bus driver and a mother of two, who trips passengers in a private bus from Kathua to Jammu and becomes the first woman bus driver from Jammu and Kashmir.#jammuandkashmir #India #Woman #BusDriver @JandKTourism @mygovindia pic.twitter.com/ZaWSFSxTgB
— Amit Singh (@editorneindia) December 26, 2020
Talking about her journey she added, “Initially, I used to drive cars, then I became a driving instructor at a driving school. I also used to drive taxis. Then I decided to drive heavy vehicles. Rajinder Singh Ji [maternal uncle] taught me truck driving. I’m very grateful to him. There was a time when I felt that no one would give me a bus to drive. But Jammu-Kathua Bus Union reposed faith in me.”
Pooja’s youngest son accompanies her on her routes as he can’t stay at home alone. As far as the stares are concerned she says, “I know many people turn when they see a woman behind the steering wheel of a heavy vehicle. I keep myself focused on driving and ignore these.”
Jammu and Kashmir has got its first woman bus driver who drives passenger bus on the Jammu-Kathua road, inspiring many women into the profession.
Pooja Devi, basically a driving trainer, adopted this profession because of her passion to become a professional driver. pic.twitter.com/mqRqRc607z
— Pranjal Mishra ( प्रांजल मिश्रा ) (@PranjalmishraIN) December 25, 2020
Pooja Devi is J&K's first woman bus driver from Kathua District
Read morehttps://t.co/dWUhSPxWVc pic.twitter.com/hq2Zbtp0ij
— Cross Town News (@CrossTownNews) December 25, 2020
The Times of India quoted her saying, “Women are flying fighter jets now. I wanted to break the taboo that only men can drive passenger buses. I wanted to send out a message to all women who want to try their hand at challenging jobs and to those whose families would not let them follow their dreams.”
Kudos Pooja! Thank you for being an inspiration for us all!