This is all about a woman toughing it out in a man’s world of driving trucks. She abhors heroic labels. Yet, it’s her reluctance to be seen as a hero that shines through her grit and determination. She says she is merely going about her life giving stability and education to her children.
A tomboy as a child, Ms. Yogita Raghuvanshi is a lawyer but earns her living as the owner of Rajhans Transport Company driving trucks…… well aware even before she began that she had to fight her family first and then with the societal stereotypes, even though, as she says, she has not set out deliberately to do so.
Stranded on the streets holding the hands of her two children, she decided to flow against the tide. The year was 2003 when Ms. Raghuvanshi, then 33 years old, faced a cloudburst of hardships starting with her lawyer-husband dying in a road accident. Then news came that one of her brothers too succumbed to a road accident while on the way to attend the funeral of her husband. The greedy family claimed her husband’s property and house, while her father thought she should sign away the power of attorney of her husband’s three trucks. Instead, she transferred her husband’s company in her name and contacted their former drivers to ply the trucks.
Recognition of her determination and inner steely strength came in the form of Mahindra Transport Excellence Award in 2013 and a Mahindra truck.
“Nobody believes that I drive trucks – whether then or now. They assume that I am the driver’s woman. Mechanics on the highway look for a scooty or a car to fix a punctured tyre. But I show them my 10-wheeler. (laughs). Men at dhabas and elsewhere leer at me, but when they see me at the wheel their look changes dramatically. But none of this bothers me, it never did. I have taught my children the same,” says Ms. Raghuvanshi.
She has faced a lot of adversities in her life. Being criticized for her dressing sense when driving and for being on the roads for about half the month are but minor issues.
When she learnt truck driving in 2003, she also learnt that it is only either an owner-driver or an educated hired driver who will stand against bribery on the highways.
“I refuse to pay bribes. It’s the drivers who have created these bribe-taking monsters,” she says.
Ms. Raghuvanshi fights for her dignity even when factory outlets where she delivers loads do not allow her to access toilets on their premises – one major reason why she has discouraged her daughter from opting for trucking as a career.
She holds up her dignity as a woman again when she says: “Women are stronger than men in controlling their behavior better, and education helps one exercise restraint.” It’s an open secret that the Indian trucker community is notorious for contracting health risks from the highways.
Traversing the longest haul till date – Bhopal-Kerala-Jammu-Jalandhar-Indore-Bhopal – in less than 10 days has Ms. Raghuvanshi wanting more, “Our India is small. There should have been more area to cover.”
Yet, her heart’s desire is to give back to the society what she learnt. “While driving by the villages, I see children waiting outside the locked gates of schools. It is a despairing sight. I will teach these kids when I am done with trucking,” she says.
No wonder, her favorite song is ‘Ek din bik jayega maati ke mol’ meaning life is worth nothing if you do not make something out of it. She certainly has.