This Graduate Auto Driver From Tamil Nadu Offers Free Rides To Women, Elderly

To spread the message of humanity, a lady auto driver from Tamil Nadu’s Chennai is offering free rides to women and the elderly.

Named Raji Ashok, the woman is breaking gender stereotypes through her choice of profession and making people feel safe while traveling on public transport.

The 50-year-old has been incessantly providing free rides to girl students, and to elderly and women after 10 PM, and also to people suffering from health emergencies for the past 23 years.

Fondly called “Auto Akka” meaning Auto Sister, Raji rides her auto for 9 hours a day.

“I’m driving an auto for the last 23 years; offer free rides to girl students, and to elderly and women after 10 pm; also offer free rides to hospital in case of emergency,” Raji told ANI.

She never refused a ride to a female traveler and with only an hour’s notice, she makes herself available to them. Raji especially provides free rides to female students of government schools. Even her auto has ”free rides for girls (govt) school students” written on it.

As per reports, more than 10,000 women have taken a ride in Raji Ashok’s auto safely as of now.

Raji Ashok is no ordinary auto driver. She originally moved from Kerala to Chennai with her husband who is also an auto driver.  Back then she held a B.A. Degree. Despite being a graduate, she could not find work in the city so she opted to drive an auto for a living and to support her family.

For the same, she thinks that other women should also be encouraged to drive the vehicle. She justified her statement by adding that, “many illiterate women work as housemaids for a pittance, but an auto driver makes Rs 15,000 to 20,000 per month.”

She has been rated as Uberstar and also as the best auto driver in Chennai. Raji aims to become the world’s best auto driver.

The graduate auto driver’s story has been extremely heartwarming and inspiring for netizens who lauded her.

We salute her benevolence and hard work.