A lady in the auto rickshaw: Rajkumari Bharti

“Life every time teaches us something which helps to create history”,

Just like this quote only there is an inspirational woman Mrs. Rajkumari Bharti of Bhopal. She is truly a milestone setter for the women. After all the downfalls which life made her face, she stood like a giant rock on her own and single-handedly nurtured her daughter since she was a year old.

Support is something which helps a person to bear all the adversaries of life and when it is given and received from one’s near and dear people it leaves totally a different strength to face life with more ease but this wasn’t the case with our hero. She was neither supported by husband or her own parents. She had nobody to rely on even for the basic needs of her and her daughter.

She was left alone by her husband just after few months when her daughter was born as a result when she approached her parents and family, she faced a huge disappointment as they all refused to help.

Her occupation;

She is an auto rickshaw driver the, first lady who drives auto rickshaw in Bhopal far gone. She learnt driving it from her mentor as she refers to Mr. Rampal who is from the same field of work and helped her gained experience in the same by schooling her by providing his own rickshaw.

Now from past a year and half she regards herself as self-employed after owning a rickshaw by the help of some government schemes.

She takes online bookings through an agency also drives for school and coaching going children and spends her day by working from 4 am to 10 pm as she mentions.

Reason for choosing the occupation

Our hero tried to earn her living by doing various kinds of jobs lìke working in houses etc. but found out that the working environment and conditions were not suitable neither for her as a lady nor for her little daughter as she had to be left alone without anyone to look after. Therefore, her mentor, as she refers to Mr. Rampal after seeing her struggling so much for survival suggested to drive rickshaw and made her learn it and helped in every other way he could. Then she started with her real struggle.

Struggles in her occupation;

Just like any other woman faces troubles and negativity from society, especially who struggle alone for survival, she too was not different from them. She faced the hurdles may it be facing people’s tantrums or thinking. She also faced a lot of difficulty while learning driving as she stated: “ I many times got scolded very badly by my mentor while he taught me how to drive”. She also mentions that it was very distressing for her when accident happened and was frightened but Mr. Rampal never permitted to give up and motivated to be positive and stand and strive towards her goal.

Once she was confident about her driving skills and got an approval from her master, she started to work as a paid worker or driver for him only. But this was not the end still there was an obstruction as her little daughter couldn’t be left alone thus, she came up with the idea to take her daughter along to the work by tying up the little one onto her chest and driving, until she was mature and grown up enough to live on her own in the absence of mother.

Her present peaceful life;

At present when Mrs. Bharti owns her own rickshaw and daughter is a 14 yr. Young and mature girl her life is quite peaceful and worthy of the conditions she faced back then in life. She portrays Mr. Rampal as a guardian sent by destiny to help her at a time when everyone abandoned her and gives credit to him for her present life. She also feels great when she is able to afford education for her daughter and sport like Taekwondo as she aspires to become a police officer and give her mother a better living.

She, now dreams that she could make a group of women like her those who struggle in life to come together and work like her.