She is the face that every Mangalorean will recognise. Whether it is scorching heat or heavy rains, she has no excuse to be absent for call of duty. She is truly inspirational, just like her name. Meet Spoorthy Hegde, a traffic cop and single mother who has been delivering both of her duties diligently.

Spoorthy Hegde, a resident of Harekala in Bantwal joined the traffic police force in 2002 and she is presently serving as the head constable at Pandeshwar West Traffic Police Station. 

As she navigates the traffic on roads, she is happy about the service that she is rendering to the society, but she feels that being a woman, managing the role of a traffic cop and a single mother is a very difficult task because both the roles are extremely demanding.

For 35-year-old Spoorthy all hell broke loose two-years-ago, when jaundice claimed the life of her husband. With two little kids in tow, Spoorthy had no time to mourn because she had to quickly dust herself up and take the responsibilities her husband had left behind.

Since two years, life had changed a great deal for her, but she is still the same-balancing home and work beautifully.

“It is not easy to be a traffic cop and manage family but you need to face everything with courage. Delivering my duties without any space for complaints is my aim,” says Spoorthy.

Asked how people receive a lady traffic cop, she says, “Being a woman traffic cop, I have not experienced any negative incident in my life. We are only a few women in the traffic department, but I feel we have never played the women card so far to evade work. We work up to 8 hours a day on a stretch,” she says adding that people have only been more than respectful towards women traffic personnel.

Spoorthy says that given a chance, she would want to inject the idea of traffic rules and safety among people because it is disheartening to see people follow traffic rules in a way as if it is being forced upon them.

“Traffic rules are made for your safety. But, people act as though the police is going to gain something by ensuring that they are safe. The feeling to follow traffic rules must come from within. I see people wearing helmets when she spot a traffic personnel on the street. This should not be the case,” she says adding that life is precious, hence must be lived not lost.

After sweating it out on the busy streets of Mangaluru, Spoorthy returns home to step into the shoes of a loving, caring yet disciplinarian mom. She smoothly graduates to becoming a doting mom for her son and daughter.

Spoorthy says that she enjoys both the roles that have been gifted to her and that her attempts are to be sincere and dedicated in both the responsibilities.

However, this Women’s Day as newskarnataka.com showcases Spoorthy as a true face of liberated Indian woman, she says that ‘courage’ is the mantra to survive the curve balls that life throws.

“It is not easy to be a traffic police and it is all the more difficult to be a single mother. But, the mantra to tide over both the difficulties is to stay courageous and stay put,” she says adding that tongues do wag, but that she makes unheard because it does not concern her.