Sharmila, a 24-year-old woman with roots in Kerala, made headlines when she became the first female bus driver in Coimbatore. Hailing from Thiruvalluvar Nagar in Tamil Nadu, Sharmila quickly gained a strong following in both states after embarking on her new career. Her inaugural journey as a bus driver took place on April 1, starting from Coimbatore’s Gandhipuram bus stand on Route No. 20-A, which serves Somanur.
The pictures from her first service quickly went viral on social media, garnering greetings and support from ministers, parliament members, celebrities, and people from all walks of life. However, Sharmila faced another twist in her journey as she lost her job due to a dispute. Nonetheless, the outpouring of support continued.
Upon hearing about her situation, renowned actor Kamal Hassan personally stepped in to offer a generous gift. He presented Sharmila with a brand new car, a Mahindra Marazzo, paying the first installment of Rs 3 lakh. The vehicle was blessed with a ritual ceremony at Mariamman Temple in Mettupalayam, capturing attention on social media once again.
Sharmila plans to utilize the SUV as a taxi, and she will commence operations once the registration procedures are completed. Her future aspiration is to establish a cab service exclusively operated by female drivers. Having grown up in Kulappully, near the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border in Shoranur, Palakkad district, Sharmila aims to inspire more women to pursue driving as a career.
In an interview, she expressed her desire to change the prevailing reluctance among women to consider driving as a profession. Sharmila firmly believes that this mindset needs to shift, and she hopes to attract more women to join the driving industry.
Post Your Comments