Deekshith D V
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (DV)
Mangaluru, Mar 28: From riding autorickshaws to travelling to space, women have proved their forte in traditionally male-dominated bastions. We might have read about or seen women auto drivers or bus conductors in government buses, in a rare case in Mangaluru, we have a woman working as a conductor in a private bus.
Meet Anitha, a 27-year-old lady hailing from Yaragatti village in Belagavi district, who is working as a conductor in a private bus plying from Mangaluru to Karkala.
Anitha's journey has not been easy. A victim of child marriage, her family compelled her to marry her relative when she was only in third standard. Fortunately, she was able to continue her studies, and would go to her husband's house during school vacations. However, by the time she was in 10th standard, she became pregnant and was forced to discontinue her studies.
As a young mother, she took up studies once more, and managed to finish her pre-university course while her own mother looked after the couple's child. But fate struck a cruel blow when Anitha lost her husband in a road accident. At the time, her daughter was just three years old.
Her father had passed away when Anitha was very young. After her husband's death, she had no choice but to look for a job. "As there was no other option after I lost my husband, I left my native in search of a job and came to Kundapur," says Anitha.
"After coming to Kundapur, one of my friends helped me get a conductor's job in Durgamba Motors. I took up the job. I have been in this field for the past six years. After completion of my second PU, I came in search of a job to Kundapur," Anitha recalls.
But another tragedy struck her when her mother too passed away. Anitha's daughter is presently being looked after by her uncle and aunt in her native.
As with thousands of others, the lockdown imposed last year due to coronavirus pandemic impacted Anitha as well. "When there was lockdown due to the pandemic, I had no job, so I had returned to my native. I came back to Mangaluru post lockdown.
"At present, I am working in Padmambika Motors. Before this, I also worked in AKMS, Bharathi Motors. Initially, my trip was from Kundapur to Kollur, later Udupi to Kollur, and then Udupi to Mangaluru. Now, for the past two months I have been a conductor of the bus from Mangaluru to Karkala. After corona, I was working in AKMS but as the schedule was heavy, I had hardly any time to rest. Hence I had to quit," she says.
Anitha feels proud of her profession. "I am the only lady conductor in a private bus in the city," she says with pride.
On support from private bus companies, she says, "All bus companies have supported me well, but AKMS supported me a lot. I worked from 6.30 am to 7.30 pm. Being a woman it is not so easy to work on the bus, as various types of people commute. Some passengers even use rough words, and we need to manage them. But in Mangaluru people are really good. Even if the bus is crowded, passengers will make room for the conductor to issue the ticket. I have never experienced anything bad.
"Moreover, in this profession, we can get busy and can forget all our other worries. We get wages daily. In other jobs, we need to wait the entire month for salary. Everything I earn, I spend on my daughter."
In her message to other women, Anitha emphasizes on financial independence. "I came from a village. Women should not lose hope. We should earn for ourselves without having to depend on others."