“I embarked on this path nearly six years ago in 2018 out of sheer necessity to take care of my ailing father,” says Rupa.

Rupa says she faced a pivotal moment when her father’s health took a serious turn, compelling her to relinquish her full-time job to provide round-the-clock care to him.

Struggling to make ends meet while seeking part-time work, fate intervened when she stumbled upon a job advertisement for an app-based home delivery company on social media.

“That was the turning point,” she says. With shifts spanning from morning 8 am untill late evening, Rupa extended her workday by joining Ola, the app-based hail a ride service, effectively becoming West Bengal’s first female rider.

For Snigdha Das, a resident of Mukundapur in Kolkata, the circumstances were not very different.  A single mother with a 6-year-old son, Snigdha had to leave her job at a multinational company in 2019 following her transfer to Chennai.

“Being old, I was unable to find a job and was not getting the expected salary. In 1990, when I was 16, I learned to ride a motorcycle and developed a passion for driving. And this passion helped me during my bad times. When I was jobless, my son told me to apply for a job for bike-riding companies,” says Snigdha.

Their journey of the last few years has not been a smooth one and has been marred with difficulties and personal tragedy too.

With the loss of both of her parents and a sister, along with an ongoing divorce case that limits her time with her 14-year-old son, Rupa has been trying to steady her life by navigating the challenges of working late-night shifts. “I’m on my own. So, any challenges that arise don’t burden others,” says Rupa, who resides in Baghajatin area of the city.

Embracing the flexibility of her job, she occasionally extends her shifts into the wee hours of morning, but exercising caution by avoiding intoxicated passengers to ensure her safety.

Snigdha recounts the harassment she faced many times with men sitting as a pillion. “In every job, 98% will be good and 2% will be bad… I have seen and faced harassment, especially by middle-aged men… One day, a man got onto my bike and started touching me, making me uncomfortable while riding. I warned him twice, and then I asked him politely if I should complain to the company to cancel his ID or take him to the police station straight away. Those mild threats alarmed him immediately. In this way, I was able to manage the situation,” she says.

Both of them are actively engaged with a non-profit organisation, “Women’s Empowerment”. Within the organization, a group of 27 women riders has come together to organise rallies, social gatherings, and charitable initiatives aimed at assisting the underprivileged.

The group, under Snigdha’s guidance, organises various events to promote their cause. The group also collaborates with the Kolkata Traffic Police on initiatives such as the “Safe Drive, Save Life” campaign, emphasizing the importance of road safety and responsible driving practices within the community.

Despite receiving “tempting job offers”, Rupa remains resolute in her path. She recognizes her role as an inspiration for many women. “In the absence of viable alternatives, one must courageously pursue their primary option,” she says.

“If family supports you, no outside power can stop you. With my son’s support, I have been doing this job since July 2019. In the last five years, my son has grown up and is working and also supports my job,” adds Snigdha.

(Taniya Acherjee is an intern at the Kolkata office of The Indian Express)