Indian attained independence from the colonial rule in 1947 and even the right to vote was given to the women of our country since the first Lok Sabha elections. However, the social barriers in the country stopped the parents to send their girls to adopt their passion.
Gradually the society has been changing with the time and the girls are shining in all the spheres. The awareness drives started by the government agencies and the non-governmental organizations helped the people to change their mindsets.
Earlier, girls were stopped to pursue their passion. Even the parents were reluctant to send their girls for jobs. The incidents of female feticide were reported in the parts of the country. But, the awareness among the masses has been eliminating the thought of the gender stereotype in the country. Women have been setting extra ordinary examples and becoming the source of inspiration for other women too.
We have been featuring the women who are the pioneers in their fields and earning bread and butter despite the odds.
Ravina Thakur, the first woman driver of Himachal Pradesh
She wanted to become an army officer but due to the family problem she became the tax driver after defying the gender stereotypes. Ravina Thakur didn’t lose heart and followed her passion. Ravina’s father died three years ago and he was also a taxi driver. She has chosen the profession to sustain her family’s livelihood. She got her commercial driving license this year and set an example for other girls. She said that she will go for the army after the completion of her graduation. At present she is driving taxi to support her family.
Amandeep Kaur, first female bouncer of Chandigarh
In 2008, Amandeep Kaur hit the headlines as she was the only female bouncer in Chandigarh. Kaur was pursuing Bachelor of Laws and part time she was working in the discotheques. She was the first woman who opened up the avenues for other women too. Even she was a news presenter on a local news channel. After her entry in the bouncer’s world, a lot of girls joined the profession.
Nirmal Sethi, India’s first woman who owns petrol pump
Nirmal Sethi of Dharamshala is the first woman of the country owning a petrol pump. In fact, she is the first transporter of Himachal Pradesh. On the eve of the International Women’s Day, she offered jobs to women at her petrol pump station. It was in December 2005 when Nirmal had lost her husband. Social activists of the region have praised this move of her by opening one more door to females. "Two girls of the region Madhu and Sunita had wanted a job and I offered them this, which they happily accepted."
Yogita Raghuvanshi, the first female qualified truck driver of India
Yogita Raghuvanshi is the most qualified truck driver in the country. A woman in her late forties expertly manoeuvred a massive 14-wheeler truck with its 30 tonne-cargo through Palakkad’s busy English Church Road in Kerala. Yogita is far from the archetypal inter-State trucker. She also happens to be a qualified lawyer, who preferred the tough and risky life on the highways to look after her family, instead of the pittance she would have earned as a beginner in the black robe.
Radhika Arora, an MBA who quit her job and started a food cart
Who says only men can run the food cart. Radhika Arora,an MBA had quit her HR job and started food cart in Mohali as she wanted to serve homemade food to others. In a matter of days, Radhika Arora was on the road to success with her own business enterprise - a food cart. She told that "When I was working here, I had to depend on the tiffin service and outside food for all meals. I really used to miss the food that my mother made back home in Ambala. It was then that I decided to quit my job and start providing home-made food to professionals and others."
