International Women’s Day: Female auto drivers on wheels of change

Shirin Ansari: Female auto driver from Mumbai

Picture this: It’s a rainy day in Mumbai. In the chaotic, wet streets of Mumbai, you stretch out your hand to call an auto as one pulls up in front of you. Rushed to save yourself from the moist drizzles, you quickly sit inside. Right when you look up at the driver’s seat to tell ‘auto waale bhaiya’ about your destination, you witness something which is not accounted as a common sighting. A figure in hijab, smiling at you as she says, “This auto wale is not a bhaiya, it’s a didi.”This is not just an imaginary scenario but a reality shaping itself not just in Mumbai but across the streets of different Indian cities.Driving the handlebars of the auto rickshaw is Shirin Ansari, the ‘Dabangg Lady’, navigating through not just the heavy traffic, but a labyrinth of societal scorn.

It’s been eight years since she first revved up her own auto, the three-wheeled orange beast she owns. Although the vehicle was originally intended for her injured son, it seemed the machine clearly had a different owner in mind all along, an owner that would go on to achieve destinations on the road and milestones in Ansari’s life.Shirin’s story, and those of hundreds like her, are driving the wheels of change. These women aren’t just ferrying passengers; they’re dismantling gender fortresses, one kilometre at a time, in a profession where men have long held the throttle. However, it would be unfair to mention pioneers like Shila Dawre in Pune, the Limca World Record holder, who has been recognised and listed as India’s first female auto driver. With just Rs 12 in her pocket, she had taken the steering of her life as she later went on to become a successful entrepreneur, founding her own travel company, Vighnaharta Tourism, in Pune.Operated as an auto-driver for over 13 years, paving the way for future generations of women to enter unconventional, male-dominated careers in public transport, she has also been honoured by the President of India as one of the “First Ladies” of the country, a title given to women who were the first to set a milestone in their respective fields.Bottom line? When we generally mention professions from the white-collar jobs like doctors and CEOs, to something like driving an auto rickshaw, these women are going that extra mile, quite literally.By reclaiming these spaces, they are dismantling gender norms and redefining what it means to celebrate womanhood in the modern world.

The ‘Dabang Lady’ Of Mumbai

Shirin is not your regular auto driver. She is practically a celebrity now. The respect and recognition she has earned surely includes the “auto-driver brothers” and the locals. However, it also extends to some prominent Bollywood figures. That’s how her work also landed her a role in a movie.Fame knocked unexpectedly: director Leena Yadav, widely popular for her feminist movies like Parched, spotted her lit-up orange rickshaw en route to the hospital. She then roped her into a film with Jacqueline Fernandez. “I was nervous, I told her, don’t act. But she was very kind to me, and she said don’t worry, we will teach you that,” Shirin marvels, recalling khichdi fed with love on set, and the first time she found out that she would be working with Jacqueline Fernandez.Television personalities like Archana Puran Singh, when learnt about her, came to meet her.

However, it was not all hunky dory for her when it all started.Divorced fifteen years ago following a marriage strained by the shadow of triple talaq, she became a single mother to three children.Drawing from her hard-earned savings, she took out a Rs 4.5 lakh loan to purchase an auto-rickshaw. Though she initially bought the vehicle for her son, she had no way of knowing it would eventually become her own lifeline.”I was so tense,” she recounts in her candid interview. “The auto sat idle for two months while I struggled to pay the weekly EMIs.”Before taking the wheel, she had 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 shut down during BMC raids.Pushed by mounting financial pressure and the steady encouragement of her friends, she finally decided to take the driver’s seat herself.

Female auto driver Shirin Ansari shares her ‘auto driver brothers’ welcome and respect her with garland

Though she began as a hesitant driver, her bravery didn’t go unnoticed. When she went to claim her official permit, the officers present broke into cheers; they were witnessing a milestone, as she became the first woman in her region to be granted a commercial driving license for the vehicle.Now, she clocks 12-14 hours daily, from 7 AM to 10 PM, with no midday breaks. “I drive by rules—no signal jumping, no wrong turns, sticking to the rules and my principles. Police salute me,” she beams, passengers clapping, college students queuing for selfies and stories.Shirin’s “Dabang Lady” moniker? Born from collar-grabbing showdowns with eve-teasers who mistook her for easy prey.“They tried fun; I beat back,” she laughs, her auto a rolling testament to soft power laced with steel.

Women in male-dominated field

Shirin’s personal journey from a struggling single mother to a local celebrity is part of a much larger, national shift in India’s workforce.While she once felt “tense” about her idle vehicle, she is now among the pioneers breaking into the informal transport sector—a field where women accounted for only about 12% of all driving licenses as of 2020.This movement is particularly significant in states like Karnataka, where women comprise barely 6% of professional drivers as per “The Rise of Feminine Leadership Edition-II” by Ms Chhavi Mathur.By taking the wheel, women like Shirin are doing more than just earning a fare, they are asserting their “right to the city,” reclaiming public roads that have historically been treated as male-dominated spaces.Research shows that family stressors, such as widowhood, divorce, or a male breadwinner losing their job, are often the primary triggers for women entering this profession. However, this path to independence is paved with significant financial risk.In a study of Chennai drivers, it was found that 93 per cent of women carried outstanding loans for their vehicles, often averaging over Rs 1.41 lakh. While the work offers a way to fund their children’s education and improve their status at home, many remain vulnerable to economic dips, such as those seen during the COVID-19 lockdowns, when some drivers were left unable to pay rent for months.

Beyond individual survival, these drivers are acting as “catalysts of social transformation”.When a woman drives an auto, it changes the way the city functions and feels. Many female passengers report an “added sense of security” when they see a woman behind the wheel, especially during late-night commutes. This creates a safer urban network and fosters a “sisterhood” of mutual support among the drivers themselves.Despite these benefits, the “grit” required is immense.Some women in cities like Pune report needing to adopt a “masculine attitude” and more assertive behaviour just to survive the social stigma and harassment they face on the road.As Shirin puts it, “When I used to drive a rickshaw, many people used to look at me in a bad way. Many people tried to shake hands with me. Many people used to sit in a rickshaw and have fun with me.”“Why should I do this? There are many ways to do it. Then I grabbed their collar and beat them. That’s how I got the name, Dabang Lady,” she added.

Gears of change: Programs backing 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 move beyond just giving out licenses; they focus on building a sustainable ecosystem for women in transport.

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, symbolised by the garlands gifted by fellow rickshaw drivers, stands in stark contrast to the invisible walls many others face.

‘Job reduces chances of marriage’

An attempt to document another female auto driver’s story brought forth the other side of this reality.An auto driver from Delhi, who did not wish to be named, kept her face covered in fear of being recognised. She explained that since she was unmarried, she was unwilling to let her identity come out.Though initially eager to share her journey, her brother intervened, ‘denying’ her permission to speak to TOI. Her response reveals a painful reality.For many unmarried women in this profession, driving remains a secret to protect their “image” and marriage prospects. They are caught in a gender paradox, skilled and willing to navigate the city, yet tethered to the permissions of male family members.In public spaces, they must pay a “character tax”, with their morals questioned simply for working outside the home.While International Women’s Day celebrates the strides women have made in reclaiming public space, many are still waiting for the movement to reach them and allow them to live on their own terms. Go to Source