Kolkata’s first woman bus driver – 2024-03-10 18:04:01

International Women’s Day is celebrated all over the world like every year to increase the participation of women in all spheres of society and to make women aware of their own rights. And on this women’s day, I will tell you about an Indian woman who has taken the steering wheel of a minibus to run her family.

In the context of the subcontinent, women are not often seen in the driver’s seat. However, Pratima Poddar in North 24 Parganas, a district neighboring Kolkata, is exceptional in this regard.

Shiveshwar Poddor, minibus driver of North 24 Parganas district. He managed his family somehow with his old mother, wife and two daughters. At first he drove the bus himself and kept a conductor on monthly basis. But his family was running very hard on the support of his partner. In the meantime, Shiveshwar’s bus driver was injured in a terrible road accident.

In a joint family, ten years of life suddenly became a disaster. Pratima-Shiveshwar’s two daughters were very young at that time. One is nine years old, the other is barely two years old. Their education path is also facing closure. In such a situation Shiveshwar decided to make his wife Pratima Poddar a professional bus driver as well.

With the inspiration of her husband, Pratima started earning money. Drive an ambulance in Salt Lake for a few days right after learning to drive. At one point he thinks that driving a bus is easier than an ambulance. And there is a bus stand near the house. Moreover, since childhood, uncles, brothers and later husbands, brothers have been seen working as bus conductors.

Feeling comfortable in the profession, Pratima did not think much. He took the steering of the minibus on the Nimta-Howrah route. Not only the husband, but also his mother-in-law and Nanak. From that year 2006 until now, the city’s ‘Driver Didi’ has been roaming around the city with a minibus.

Almost every day, this energetic woman left the house before dawn. Return home after four-five hours and take care of family. After that, return to the bus for the second round and continuous duty till night. After the accident, husband Shiveshwar now plays the role of conductor in his wife’s bus. Shiveshwar took over the steering in the middle.

Having her husband by her side, Pratima’s confidence also increases a lot. Not only that. Praise, encouragement, blessings and respect are collected from helpless people or elderly passengers who cannot find a bus on the night route. Along with this, adequate help comes from two daughters and mother-in-law.

However, this path has not been very smooth. Because of this, Pratima still faces a lot of ridicule on the streets. But he drives the minibus in his own rhythm without paying attention to the words. This poddar couple woke up at dawn. They run three to four trips a day on the Nimta to Howrah route from Belgharia. Excluding car maintenance and oil costs, their income is now fairly good.

Time has changed slowly. Husband has managed a bit. The girls have grown up, one is in class ten, the other is a university student. The Sri of the family is returning little by little. And Kolkata’s female bus driver has also increased in popularity. The statue now has publicity, recognition and respect.

The husband sings to his wife with love. That song is very favorite of Pratima. And love poetry. You can recite Ravi Tagore’s ‘Dui Bigha Zamin’ or ‘Haat’ whenever you want. But when steering has become the focus of love. So Pratima is running with the bus.

Many success stories are being heard on this women’s day. However, the way Pratima is working in such a profession in this male-dominated society is exemplary for all the women of West Bengal. This woman has shown that women can easily work in male-dominated professions if they want to.

DD/SAH