First Woman Bus Driver: The Telangana government has taken another progressive step by hiring women as bus drivers, following last year’s move to recruit transgender individuals as traffic police officers. In a landmark decision, the state administration appointed Saritha, a woman from a rural background, as the first female driver in the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (RTC).

Determined to support her aging parents, Saritha personally approached State Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar and Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, requesting a job with RTC. Recognizing her family’s financial struggles, the ministers promptly offered her a driver position. On June 14, Saritha officially took the wheel as Telangana RTC’s first woman bus driver, successfully driving a bus from Hyderabad to Miryalaguda. Her appointment not only represents a personal victory but also marks a historic moment for gender inclusion in the state’s public transport system.

Who is Saritha?
On her first day at work, Saritha confidently drove a bus from Hyderabad to Miryalaguda, marking a significant milestone in Indian public transport. Far from being intimidated or bored by the challenge, she embraced the journey with ease, thanks to her prior experience as a bus driver in Delhi. Hailing from Sitya Thanda, a tribal village in Narayanapuram Mandal, Bhuvanagiri District, Saritha has now earned the title of the nation’s first officially recognized female RTC bus driver.

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Family Background:

Born in the remote highlands of the Nalgonda region, Saritha comes from a humble tribal background. Her four elder sisters married early and moved in with their in-laws, leaving Saritha to shoulder the responsibility of supporting her family. Due to financial hardship, she was forced to drop out of school after the seventh grade. Despite the odds, Saritha’s determination never wavered.

Her journey from a secluded village to the driver’s seat of a Telangana RTC bus is not just inspirational, it’s groundbreaking. Saritha now stands as a symbol of courage and progress, breaking gender barriers in one of the most male-dominated professions in the country. Before making history as India’s first officially recognized female RTC bus driver, Saritha began her career driving a private school bus. Encouraged by a female officer in Hyderabad, she later moved to Delhi, where she worked as a car driver.

Bus Driver in Delhi:

In 2015, just a few days after arriving in the capital, Saritha applied for a position as a bus driver with the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC). She secured the job, and in a memorable moment, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal personally handed her the appointment letter.

Back home, Saritha’s elderly parents still live in Sitya Thanda, a village in Narayanapuram Mandal, Bhuvanagiri District. Her father, Ramkoti, is 80 years old, and her mother, Rukka, is 75. The family recently faced a setback when Rukka suffered a leg fracture, highlighting the ongoing challenges Saritha balances between her career and family responsibilities. Saritha’s story is not just one of personal achievement, it’s a powerful narrative of breaking barriers, resilience, and redefining what’s possible for women in India’s public transport sector.

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