Puri: She is an inspiration for many in Puri town. Breaking stereotypes and transcending all barriers, a Hindi graduate from IGNOU- Sunita Nayak is the first woman in the state to take up e-rickshaw driving which has long been considered a male-dominated profession.
She created a sensation among male drivers and some even scoffed at her when she started going to the e-rickshaw stand to park her vehicle alongside her male counterparts.
Sunita Nayak has now earned recognition for herself as the first e-rickshaw driver of the state after she cleared her driving test recently.
Daughter of Trinath Nayak – a resident of Markandeswar Sahi in pilgrim town Puri, she was born and brought up in a poor family and could not afford to study in a reputed college. That made her choose IGNOU to continue her further studies and she has successfully completed her graduation.
Sunita does not have any dream for getting married. Rather, she wants to support her family financially. With the help of her father, she bought a battery-operated auto-rickshaw and also appeared for the driving license test clearing it successfully.
“She always wanted to work independently since her childhood. She wanted to be different from others and wanted to achieve something in life. Now driving e-rickshaw is her occupation. After getting the license, she will not face any obstruction in continuing it as her profession,” said her father.
PNN