Keonjhar: Santoshi Deo of Keonjhar district has emerged as a compelling symbol of resilience, choice, and women’s empowerment, showing how determination combined with timely institutional support can transform personal hardship into leadership and national inspiration. Married at the age of 16 in Haryana, Santoshi endured years of dowry harassment and domestic violence.
Eventually abandoned by her husband, she returned to her native Keonjhar as a school dropout and single mother, solely responsible for raising her daughter with dignity and hope. Rather than succumbing to adversity, she chose to reclaim her future with courage and resolve. Inspired by seeing a woman auto-rickshaw driver in Chennai, Santoshi challenged deeply rooted gender norms in 2015 by becoming the first woman auto-rickshaw driver in Keonjhar.
Her confidence and professionalism soon won public admiration. In 2021, she created history once again by becoming Odisha’s first woman Mo Bus driver in Bhubaneswar, motivating countless women across the state to explore non-traditional careers in the transport sector. Continuing to defy stereotypes, Santoshi trained to operate heavy machinery and went on to drive a 40-metric-tonne Volvo truck at the Guali site in Keonjhar district with Triveni Private Limited—a field traditionally dominated by men.
Her work reaffirmed that skill, competence, and commitment transcend gender. Her journey is marked by extraordinary determination. Santoshi drove her auto-rickshaw nearly 1,600 kilometres to New Delhi to pursue justice in her personal legal battles and to voice her concerns before national leaders. She later undertook another remarkable journey from Keonjhar to Ayodhya to attend the Ram Mandir inauguration, earning admiration across several states for her endurance and spirit. Her inspiring life story was celebrated during the National Road Safety Month event in January 2026, where Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi hailed her as the “Daughter of Keonjhar” and a proud symbol of Odia courage, perseverance, and self-belief.
Santoshi Deo is also a beneficiary of the AMA SuVahak scheme, a flagship initiative of the Commerce and Transport department, Government of Odisha, aimed at empowering women entrepreneurs in the transport sector.
The scheme offers interest-free loans of up to Rs 10 lakh, along with additional subsidies for electric vehicles and comprehensive institutional support to promote sustainable livelihoods. With the support of AMA SuVahak, Santoshi today owns a four-wheeler and is emerging as a successful woman entrepreneur, reflecting the transformative power of women-centric policies and mobility reforms in Odisha.
From a survivor of violence to a confident leader behind the wheel, Santoshi Deo’s journey embodies a new Odisha—where women are empowered by opportunity, strengthened by policy, and inspired to lead. Her story stands as a beacon of hope, proving that with courage and institutional support, no barrier is insurmountable and no journey too long.
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