Suneetha, The Auto Rickshaw Driver

Coming out of the Trivandrum railway station after bidding farewell to Anand Babu, I hailed for an auto rickshaw. I got into the first one that stopped and that's how I met Suneetha, one of two women auto rickshaw drivers in Trivandrum, Kerala (India).

I have been travelling in Kerala for over 10 days now and this is first time any auto rickshaw driver started the fare meter. Is it because the auto rickshaw driver is a women? I am not that sure. But its a nice not being swindled for a change and I am already feeling safe in suneetha's auto rickshaw.

I introduced myself and she asked me where I was from. When I replied Bangalore she told me that her daughter was studying in a nursing college in Bangalore. Its the first time I have seen a women driving auto rickshaw and it feels great to be in the company of a pioneer.

Suneetha told me that women in kerala have always been independent and that she didn't face any trouble from her male counter parts when she first started driving an auto rickshaw over a decade ago, then I wonder why there are only two women rickshaw drivers in Trivandrum today. Anyway I think we can do with more people like suneetha all over the country. I am leaving kerala tomorrow and if you travel in suneetha's auto rickshaw then say that Arky sends his greetings.