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Malar: When we were going to Delhi, we 1st went to Agra and saw Taj Mahal and many other important places. Anchor: How did you manage to overcome the comments you used to hear about you. Please share more about it. Malar: Many were talking many things like - why is he taking his wife along with him always? Maybe he won't trust her. But we never gave our ears to such comments. Maybe they couldn't go so they were jealous. We just did our work without listening anything. We joined our son to the hostel so that his studies should not get affected. Even in the hostel, they supported us.
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First thing my husband asked me is, can you be able to do this? Because you can not take bath, use the restroom, take food at your own time but whenever it is available. Because being men we suffer many times. He took me along with him only because I said: "I will take care." He also encouraged me to learn driving so that nobody should find fault in it. Kerala trip where is took load to Kottayam, he was astonished. Anchor: Tell more about your husband who motivated you like this. Malar: He is from a struggling family. He studied till SSLC. He struggled a lot to came to this position. He grew up without mom or dad. He took care of his sister's marriage. He met with an accident and so he had to take rest. So I had to go to this work. He can be at home and keep drivers for his lorry but he wants to be in the profession which lifted him. Even my son works as lorry driver. Nobody was there at home to send him school so left schooling after 10th. He asks us to be at home and says he will take care. Anchor: What all advice your husband gave you to be in this profession?
Malar: How I takecare of myself, in the same way i take care of my lorry. If something is wrong in the vehicle i find it out and repair it. When we go for trips, tyre may get punctured, so we need to change tyre, apply grease. Me along with my husband wash the lorry. Anchor: Men are doing this profession. So many people may talk about you being in this profession. How did you manage in this field? Malar: I had no problem in Tamilnadu. But when we go to other states I had language, that my husband used to manage. There were many who used to see me driving and overtake me and trouble me by putting a sudden break. My husband always uses to suggest me to not drive fast. Many used to support me, like in RTOffice and in check post. Anchor: What is the difference between that Malarkudi who was doing household works and used to be at home and this Malakudi who is a lorry driver?
Malar: My husband said, she is interested in driving and she wants to join me. So brought her along with me. And even she can drive. Then the police asked for licence. When we said that we dont have licence, they said they will give licence. Then asked about whether we can get licence in our native(Sangagiri) place. My husband said that, she has studied till 7th but we need to study till 10th to get licence. Immidiately the police asked us to approach RTO if they are not giving licence, we will provide you licence. Immediately from there, they enquired, whether this lady is from village. They said yes, and from last 1 year she is driving lorry, but till now we have not taken any actions. Then they asked to give licence. Before we could reach our native, my licence was ready. Anchor: So from there all this has started. And you got to achieve from it. Please share how you came to this field completely? Malar: My husband met with an accident and he had to take rest for 2 months. But we had to pay money to the lorry financier. We had no other occupation or jobs. So he took a load and decided to go for work. He was in pain so I thought of accompanying him. Even he agreed to it. And we took load to Kerala. Thats how we the police and it helped me to get licence. And finally it resulted in getting best driver in India. Even I have got Vijaywada award, Kalainjiyar award. I feel happy that people recognised me and felt even in Tamilnadu there is a woman lorry driver. Anchor: Many time some sour experiences results in greater achievements. You shared about the reason to get into this field and your journey in this field now please share how you felt in the beginning when you entered this field? Have you ever regretted for entering in this field?
Anchor: Please share how happy are you being a woman? Malar: Being a woman, I have achieved equally like men. Till now only men are driving lorries but women are not going to this field. Anchor: If you go 40 to 50 back, women were allocated few works. But now as you said, women are in all fields. But in your case, the way you came to this field. You have the title of being 1st women lorry driver. You came to this field just because your husband was in this field or you are interested in this field? Malar: I went along with my husband to support him as well to know more about this field. Only after getting to this field I realised the problems faced in this field. Initially, I didn't get the licence. But I was driving with the help of my husband's licence. Once we were going and we saw police stopping us. He called us and my husband got down and went to talk to police. But the police asked him to call the driver. I was always very shy to talk.I got down and met the police. He was talking in Hindi but I couldn't understand Hindi.
Introduction about Malar: She lost her husband in an accident. When she had to choose a work to take care of her family, she chose her husband's profession i.e lorry driving. She never knew that choosing profession will take her to different heights. She became India's first female lorry driver, Tamilnadu's 1st female lorry driver, best lorry driver in India, Veera Naari goods. Just like these awards she got many other awards and fame by this lorry driving profession. Problems faced by her in this profession, what all she learnt from this profession and many more things she is going to share with us. Anchor: Hello, Please introduce yourself to our audience. Malar: My name is Malarkodi. I am from Paapanaayagampatti. I have studied till 7th std. Anchor: Today, on this special day we are very happy to meet you. Please share how happy are being a woman?
I am Ms. Radhika Ganesh From Mogappair West. From past 5 years Vijayalakshmi is working at our house as domestic helper. We treat her like our family member. She helps us in all our work and we too help her in possible ways. We are so happy with her work and even she is happy to work here.
Dhanalkshmi taking interview in Periyapedu panchayat: Today Dhanalkshmi conducted a meeting and told many things about urimai kural. Daily I will call please give us more information in Urimai Kural