Mangaluru: Bantwal’s Poornima serves as an epitome that women in rural India are not confined to the four walls of their house.

A resident of Maninalkur, Poornima is the only woman auto driver in Bantwal Taluk.

Opting for this profession may not have been easy for the woman who had a fear of vehicles. However, upon noticing the pain that her husband Jayananda Shetty was suffering owing to his backache she decided to take-over the wheels of the auto from his hands.

For a person who had zero knowledge of driving Poornima turned out to be a quick learner and learned to drive the auto from her husband within a week’s time.

“I had a fear for vehicles earlier. I did not even know to ride a bicycle. But, today people have accepted me as an auto driver. I am happy in this profession”, says Poornima.

Prior to my marriage, I used to roll beedies but after marriage, I became busy with household chores. After my daughter got admitted to the school, I felt the necessity of a job. In future, I have a plan to buy a pickup van, she added.

Poornima has been driving an auto for over one year now. She travels to places like Puttur, Deralakatte, Belthangady. Several times she has taken elderly people for free of cost.