“I by no means needed a ‘good IT job’. All I needed was to take pleasure in my work each single day. For me, that pleasure comes from driving. I simply adore it — that’s it,” says 29-year-old Safura Khan, her voice calm but agency with conviction.
It isn’t the sort of reply you anticipate in a metropolis the place each second individual appears to be chasing an IT job, a nook desk, or a month-to-month appraisal. However Safura has all the time seen issues otherwise.
Whereas others checked out driving as a final resort, she noticed it as pleasure. That easy pleasure has carried her from a second-hand scooty to the motive force’s seat of her personal e-auto, winding by the lanes of Bengaluru with confidence.
A current video by a well-liked digital creator captured her story in a couple of quick minutes and made her an web sensation. But, what the viral clip solely hinted at is the depth of her journey, one constructed on cussed dedication, small acts of rise up, and an unshakable love for driving.
From scooty rides to the motive force’s seat
Safura’s journey started not with ambition however with curiosity. She grew up in a modest family in Karnataka, the daughter of fogeys who had moved from Chennai when she was a toddler. Life was easy, cash typically scarce, and like many women round her, training was by no means the highest precedence.
That’s when her fascination with two-wheelers first took root. “I began on a small scooty. I liked the sensation of using alone. That’s after I knew driving made me completely satisfied,” she remembers.
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Her mom, initially hesitant about her daughter’s ardour, slowly started to see that this wasn’t a passing part. By 2020, Safura had purchased her first bike, a CT100, together with her personal financial savings.
Quickly after, she started asking larger questions: May she drive professionally? May she, a lady from a conservative household background, actually take up a profession behind the wheel?
The resistance was actual. “At first, my mom mentioned ‘no’. Folks will speak, she mentioned. However later she allowed me,” Safura remembers. That permission opened the street to a brand new chapter in her life.
Small jobs that acted as large classes
Earlier than she may purchase her personal auto, Safura took up a string of jobs — at a Shell petrol pump, in dwelling nursing, and delivering parcels for Swiggy and Amazon. Every position was powerful, however she noticed them as stepping stones.
“No matter work I did, I all the time needed to take pleasure in it. That’s what mattered to me. Not simply cash,” she says. Nevertheless, nothing clicked. “No matter I earned went into gas and lease. It wasn’t price it,” she says.
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Safura’s large break got here when she determined to purchase an e-auto. Together with her mom serving to with the down cost and her personal earnings protecting the EMIs, she lastly grew to become her personal boss. Her day now begins at 5 am, with two lengthy shifts — morning to afternoon, after which night until late night time. In between, she makes time to relaxation at dwelling and even tutors her youthful brother.
However her life revolves round her auto, pet canine, and love for driving. “I spend extra time at work than at dwelling, so I must really feel peaceable and completely satisfied after I drive. And I do,” she says.
‘Bengaluru is my metropolis and I really feel protected right here’
Driving late at night time is usually seen as unsafe for girls, however Safura disagrees.
“That is my metropolis. I really feel protected right here. Folks might imagine in any other case, however I can stroll or drive at midnight and know nothing will occur. Eight years in the past, perhaps it was completely different. However in the present day, Bengaluru feels protected for me,” she says firmly.
It’s this sense of confidence and calm that passengers bear in mind. She remembers one lady who entered her auto in tears after an argument together with her husband. By the point the trip ended, the lady was smiling. “She instructed me, ‘You’re doing nice work. I really feel pleased with you’. That second made me proud too. If I may give somebody even a bit of increase, it feels good,” says Safura.
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The viral second that made her ardour a sensation
One unusual day, Tamanna Tanweer, a digital creator, shared a video of Safura talking about her work. Neither of them anticipated what occurred subsequent. However social media took care of it, and inside hours, the video went viral with over 2.8 million views and over 3,000 feedback.
Within the feedback, Safura was flooded with love and finest needs. She additionally obtained a heat response from the startup, Gettecar, who promised to discover a automotive for Safura.
“This was very new for me,” Safura laughs. “I didn’t even know she was a vlogger. Out of the blue, folks began congratulating me. I by no means thought so many individuals would admire my story.”
The newfound fame has opened surprising doorways. “If somebody desires me to advertise their merchandise, I’ll do it. Why not? It’s a chance. However I received’t change my career. Driving is my happiness,” she says.
Life has not modified technically for Safura. “I nonetheless rise up at 5 am and begin my day by 6 am as a result of I consider laborious work is the one technique to attain one’s purpose, there can by no means be any shortcuts.”
“Even earlier than the viral video, many didis working at completely different IT places of work have requested me to drop and choose them up after their shifts, as they really feel actually protected and comfy with me. I’m grateful for the belief they’ve proven in me,” she provides.
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She additionally runs a YouTube channel, although modifying stays a problem. “I wish to put up every day, not for cash, however to encourage ladies. If I can do that, so are you able to,” she says.
Breaking glass ceilings and stereotypes on the street
As a lady driver, Safura isn’t any stranger to stereotypes.
“Folks nonetheless suppose girls can’t drive. However we are able to. We are sometimes higher. Households cease girls from attempting, saying it’s unsafe. However when you step out, you learn to care for your self. Driving teaches you the best way to face the world,” she says.
Her recommendation to younger girls is direct: “Please do it. You’ll be taught unforgettable classes on the street. It’s not simply driving, it’s life abilities. Find out how to speak, the best way to deal with good and dangerous folks; you be taught all the pieces.”
A good friend’s perspective
Vishal, an previous good friend of Safura, has witnessed her journey carefully. “I’ve recognized her for years. She has executed many various jobs, however with driving, she really shines. I’ve seen her face criticism, with folks saying girls shouldn’t be out so late. However she by no means let that cease her. Safura is fearless — and extra importantly, she is completely satisfied. That’s uncommon. Most of us complain about work, however she enjoys hers,” he says.
He additionally factors out her resilience. “She needed to cease finding out very early due to many causes. However have a look at her now. She speaks a number of languages, manages her work independently, pays EMIs, helps her household, and even cares for her pet. She has constructed herself from scratch. That’s inspiring,” he provides.
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For all her confidence, Safura’s desires are modest however deeply private.
“In 5 years, I wish to purchase my very own home. Proper now, we stay in a rented home, and with a pet, it’s troublesome. Landlords don’t like pets. I battle with my mom every single day about preserving her. So I hope I can purchase a home, the place my pet and I can stay freely,” she says with a smile.
She has no plans of adjusting her career. “Why ought to I? Every single day, I meet new folks and see new tales. I really feel proud when passengers admire my driving. Why would I go away that? I adore it,” she says.
Greater than a driver, this 29-year-old is a dreamer
For Safura, driving is greater than incomes a dwelling. It’s about freedom, dignity and self-respect. Her life is proof that empowerment doesn’t come solely from company jobs or levels; it could possibly come from discovering pleasure and energy in what you do, irrespective of how unconventional.
“Folks instructed me driving was not for girls. However now they are saying, ‘We’re pleased with you’,” she says.
Her story has already touched hundreds on-line, due to Tamanna’s viral video. However for Safura, the street forward is what excites her most. Each trip she takes is a reminder that empowerment might be so simple as holding the steering wheel with confidence.
As Vishal sums it up: “She doesn’t simply drive an auto. She drives her personal future.”
If you wish to collaborate with Safura, you possibly can contact her on Instagram.
All images courtesy: Safura Khan