It is not uncommon for women to drive cars. But G Sripriya, a resident of Indra Nagar, who picks and drops school students, has an interesting story to tell.
Hailing from a village near Vaitheeswaran koil, she moved to Chennai after her marriage in 2005. “I do not want to talk much about how I wanted to study, but my family situation made me take up small jobs in farming. Post-marriage I moved to the city, to ensure that my children get good education. Since my husband A Ganapathy is a driver, I wanted to assist him financially and joined as an attendant in a school. I used to accompany students in the car which used to pick up and drop them. This is where my driving journey began,” she said.
Priya further said one day, out of curiosity, she asked the driver if she could try driving. “He immediately gave the car and taught me the basics. I tried moving the vehicle a few feet and enjoyed the experience. I drove the car back to school on the same day. I did this for a few days, until one day, the school principal came to know about it. She advised me not to do so as it might damage the vehicle,” stated Priya, and added that she subsequently joined a driving school to get a licence.
“The fee was Rs 1,500, which was a huge amount for me at the time. But I managed to pay it. After getting my licence, I started driving for the school. Later, I joined as a driver in a private school car service,” she noted.
She further said it was during this time that she learnt the routes and how to interact with parents and charge fees.
“After a few days, I decided to buy my own car and start the pick up and drop service. But it was not an easy task, as a second hand car cost around Rs 2 lakh. But I was determined to do it, so I saved some money and got the vehicle. With the contacts I developed during my previous experiences, I started getting clients and I am happy with where I am now,” she said, with a smile.
When asked about the response she receives from parents, Priya said, “Many parents feel comfortable sending their girls with me.”