Women Behind the Wheel: 7 Indian Women Driving Beyond Stereotypes

By: Women Entrepreneurs Review Team

In 1905, the streets of Bombay witnessed an unusual sight – a woman driving a car!

Suzanne Briere, a French woman and wife of industrialist Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata, became the first woman in India to drive a car.

More than a century later, seeing a woman behind the wheel of a car is not as unusual as it was in 1905. However, the idea of women taking up driving as a profession continues to be unusual due to gender-based stereotypes.

Yet, women across India have steadily shifted the narrative from ‘women can’t’ to ‘women will’, taking control of vehicles once considered off-limits to them.

Traditionally, transport and heavy vehicle driving has been considered a ‘man’s job’. Owing to unpredictable working conditions, safety concerns, erratic work-hours and other challenges, driving as a profession was reserved for men.

Virginia Woolf once wrote in her essay ‘A Room of One's Own', “Lock up your libraries if you like; but there is no gate, no lock, no bolt that you can set upon the freedom of my mind.” Today, women across India are embodying that spirit by stepping into professions once considered unsuitable for them. From driving buses and trucks to operating trains and flying fighter jets, women are proving that determination and skill matter far more than one’s gender.

We take a look at the inspiring stories of 7 Indian women who took up driving as a profession and mastered the skill few expected them to develop. From meandering state highways to Jajpur’s steel melting shop, to Ferrari racetracks, to the sky, these women have conquered it all. Let’s delve into their inspiring stories.

Tackling Heavy Machinery & Trains

Surekha Yadav: India's First Woman Loco Pilot

Surekha Yadav is an Indian Railways employee and the first female train driver in India. She made history yet again by becoming the first woman to operate India's first indigenous semi-high-speed train, the Vande Bharat Express on 13^th March 2023.

She joined the Indian Railways in 1986 and has been serving as a train driver for more than 30 years. She has driven a wide range of trains, including local passenger trains, express trains, and freight trains.

In 2001, Surekha drove the prestigious Deccan Queen Express from Mumbai to Pune, and later went on to drive many other trains, including the Flying Ranee Express. In addition to her career in the Indian railways, Surekha is also a social activist and has been actively involved in several initiatives to promote women's empowerment and education in rural areas of Maharashtra.

In 2019, Surekha was awarded the Nari Shakti Puraskar, the highest civilian award for women in India, for her contribution to the railway industry.

Minu Mohanta: India’s First Overhead Crane Operator

Odisha’s Minu Mohanta is India’s first overhead crane operator.

Born in a poor family in Odisha she was married at the age of 14. She became a widow at 25 and had to bring up two children on her own. Thus, Minu began working as a stone crusher in a quarry. After six years, she joined Jindal Stainless’ housekeeping team for the steel melting shop in 2011. Driven by her inquisitive nature and a desire to learn machine operation, she quickly adapted to managing engine-powered cleaning vehicles.

Minu’s message to women in “I just want to say that there is no alternative for women but to be brave.”

Conquering the Skies

Shivangi Singh: India's First Woman Fighter Pilot

Shivangi Singh is among the most popular women fighter pilots in the Indian Air Force and is an ambassador of the advanced Rafale fighter jet.

Born in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, she was fascinated with aviation at an early age and joined the National Cadet Corps before finally deciding to join the Air Force. It took years of intense training, discipline and mental strength for her to get to where she is today in combat aviation.

Shivangi got her first taste of flying the MiG-21 Bison and gained national fame after joining the prestigious Rafale squadron. Her accomplishments gained greater importance as it was believed that combat aviation was not accessible for women in India earlier. She remains a role model for young female people throughout the nation who aspire to become pilots and engineers in the aviation industry, join the Armed Forces or pursue careers in leadership within the workplace, traditionally a sphere for men.

Zooming Past Finish Lines

Humaira Mushtaq: The Fast & Furious Female Car Racer

One of India’s pioneering female car racers, Humaira Mushtaq is a young trailblazer from Jammu and Kashmir. In 2024, she became the first Indian national and the only woman to compete in the British Endurance Racing Championship.

In an exclusive conversation with Women Entrepreneurs Review she said, “As a child, I was captivated by cars and was highly fascinated with their movement and mechanics.” By the age of five, Humaira transitioned to real go-karting and road racing. Over the years, she advanced through single-seaters, Formula Racing, Touring cars, and Saloon cars.

Humaira began her professional journey with JK Typres, where she was identified by Sanjay Sharma, the head of JK Tyre Motorsports. “He recognized my potential, took me under his wing and provided me with sponsorship opportunities that propelled my career ahead.” Humaira then transitioned to MRF. She secured an international racing licence, allowing her to compete at the British Endurance Championship.

Humaira talks about her father’s supportive role in her life’s journey. She reminisces, “My father was my strongest mentor, my biggest supporter, and my first coach. He played a pivotal role in shaping my journey and pushing me toward my goals.”

For Humaira, racing is not just about trophies or recognition, but about discipline, perseverance and constantly pushing boundaries in a sport where women continue to remain underrepresented.

Mastering Indian Roads

Yogita Raghuvanshi: From Law to Trucking

Hailing from Maharashtra, Yogita is India’s first female truck driver. A young woman, Yogita studied Commerce and Law, with aspiration to foray into the legal profession. However, in 2003, she lost her husband in a tragic road accident post which everything changed for her.

Yogita chose to put her law dreams on the backburner and opted for a career in transport, an unusual route. She took on the role of raising two children and running her husband's transport business.

Initially, she employed truck drivers but struggling to make profits, she chose to learn how to drive the trucks herself. Soon she was dubbed “India's first woman truck driver” and traveled thousands of kilometers around the country. Yogita managed to navigate through tough roads, new territories and opinions with ease and determination.

Her success was rewarded with the Mahindra Transport Excellence Award.

Pooja Jadhav: Breaking Barriers in Mumbai’s BEST Service  

Pooja Jadhav made history after becoming the first woman driver in Mumbai's BEST wet lease bus operations. Pooja was trained at BEST's Dindoshi training centre and has undergone 21 days of intensive training before being posted to Vikhroli depot in her thirties.

Mumbai is known to be one of the most challenging transport jobs in India due to the heavy traffic, the congestion on the roads and the long working hours, Pooja took up the job of driving with confidence and determination. Her appointment was widely reported, as women are still a minority in the big bus services. Her feat was well-received by the passengers and transport officials, and was seen as a positive sign for women's opportunities in operational posts.

Safura Khan: Bengaluru’s Viral Auto Driver

Bengaluru auto driver, Safura Khan recently went viral on social media due to her cheerful nature and love for driving. In conversation with influencer Tamanna Tanweer, Safura acknowledged her love for driving. She opted for buying an auto rickshaw since it was affordable for her at the time, as compared to a car.

Safura takes pride in her job as an women auto driver and enjoys the freedom she experiences while driving.

Her story was liked by millions on the Internet and people especially admired her confidence and positive energy.

Conclusion 

These stories are all evidence that women do not need to ask for permission to be in places that were traditionally for men. With skill, courage and persistence, they are driving buses, trucks, trains, aircraft and race cars, while also driving away old assumptions about what women can do. These are not only individual successes, but also a greater change in the mindset of society. The journey is still long but women who are not confined by stereotypes are paving the way.

They are not just taking the wheel, they are rewriting the rules of the journey.