“I by no means wished a ‘good IT job’. All I wished was to get pleasure from 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 form of reply you count on 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 in another way.
Whereas others checked out driving as a final resort, she noticed it as pleasure. That straightforward pleasure has carried her from a second-hand scooty to the driving force’s seat of her personal e-auto, winding by means of the lanes of Bengaluru with confidence.
A current video by a well-liked digital creator captured her story in a couple of brief 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 willpower, small acts of rebel, and an unshakable love for driving.
From scooty rides to the driving 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 oldsters who had moved from Chennai when she was a toddler. Life was easy, cash usually scarce, and like many ladies 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 driving alone. That’s after I knew driving made me joyful,” 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 greater questions: May she drive professionally? May she, a girl from a conservative household background, actually take up a profession behind the wheel?
The resistance was actual. “At first, my mom mentioned ‘no’. Individuals will discuss, 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 huge classes
Earlier than she may purchase her personal auto, Safura took up a string of jobs — at a Shell petrol pump, in residence 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 wished to get pleasure from it. That’s what mattered to me. Not simply cash,” she says. Nevertheless, nothing clicked. “No matter I earned went into gasoline and hire. It wasn’t price it,” she says.
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Safura’s huge break got here when she determined to purchase an e-auto. Together with her mom serving to with the down fee and her personal earnings overlaying 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 evening. In between, she makes time to relaxation at residence 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 residence, so I must really feel peaceable and joyful after I drive. And I do,” she says.
‘Bengaluru is my metropolis and I really feel secure right here’
Driving late at evening is usually seen as unsafe for girls, however Safura disagrees.
“That is my metropolis. I really feel secure right here. Individuals 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 totally different. However at present, Bengaluru feels secure for me,” she says firmly.
It’s this sense of confidence and calm that passengers bear in mind. She remembers one girl who entered her auto in tears after an argument together with her husband. By the point the trip ended, the girl was smiling. “She informed me, ‘You’re doing nice work. I really feel happy with you’. That second made me proud too. If I may give somebody even a bit enhance, it feels good,” says Safura.
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The viral second that made her ardour a sensation
One extraordinary 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 greatest 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. Instantly, folks began congratulating me. I by no means thought so many individuals would recognize my story.”
The newfound fame has opened surprising doorways. “If somebody needs me to advertise their merchandise, I’ll do it. Why not? It’s a possibility. However I received’t change my occupation. Driving is my happiness,” she says.
Life has not modified technically for Safura. “I nonetheless stand up at 5 am and begin my day by 6 am as a result of I imagine onerous work is the one solution to attain one’s aim, there can by no means be any shortcuts.”
“Even earlier than the viral video, many didis working at totally different IT places of work have requested me to drop and decide them up after their shifts, as they really feel actually secure and cozy 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 enhancing stays a problem. “I need to put up every day, not for cash, however to inspire women. If I can do that, so are you able to,” she says.
Breaking glass ceilings and stereotypes on the street
As a girl driver, Safura is not any stranger to stereotypes.
“Individuals nonetheless assume ladies can’t drive. However we will. We are sometimes higher. Households cease ladies from making an attempt, saying it’s unsafe. However when you step out, you learn to handle your self. Driving teaches you methods to face the world,” she says.
Her recommendation to younger ladies is direct: “Please do it. You’ll be taught unforgettable classes on the street. It’s not simply driving, it’s life abilities. Easy methods to discuss, methods to deal with good and unhealthy folks; you be taught every part.”
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 achieved many various jobs, however with driving, she actually shines. I’ve seen her face criticism, with folks saying ladies shouldn’t be out so late. However she by no means let that cease her. Safura is fearless — and extra importantly, she is joyful. 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 learning 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 need to purchase my very own home. Proper now, we dwell in a rented home, and with a pet, it’s tough. Landlords don’t like pets. I struggle with my mom day-after-day about retaining her. So I hope I should buy a home, the place my pet and I can dwell freely,” she says with a smile.
She has no plans of adjusting her occupation. “Why ought to I? On daily basis, I meet new folks and see new tales. I really feel proud when passengers recognize my driving. Why would I depart 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 may well come from discovering pleasure and power in what you do, irrespective of how unconventional.
“Individuals informed me driving was not for girls. However now they are saying, ‘We’re happy with you’,” she says.
Her story has already touched 1000’s on-line, because of Tamanna’s viral video. However for Safura, the street forward is what excites her most. Each trip she takes is a reminder that empowerment will 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 may contact her on Instagram.
All pictures courtesy: Safura Khan