KSRTC’s first woman driver continues to inspire many

Shilpa P. | NT

KSRTC’s first woman driver K Ningamma (56) may have stopped driving after her spinal cord surgery, but she continues to serve at KSRTC and is seen as an inspiration for many women. She is also the seventh woman heavy vehicle driver in India.

Daughter of Krishnaiah and Kamalamma, Ningamma got married in 1995 to Puttanna S, son of Subbanna (a freedom fighter) who is Ameen in a Court in Mysuru. It was in 2000 Ningamma, who had done BA, was recruited to KSRTC as conductor/driver at the age of 35 years. But she served as conductor in Ballari district and Gundlupet taluk of Chamarajnagar district for the first five years.

She underwent bus driver’s training at Humnabad in Kalaburagi district. In 2005, she became the first woman driver of KSRTC when she was 40 years of age.

She was then posted in Mysuru city. “I made 12 trips (up and down) from 7 am to 7 pm each day, to Chamundi hills and Vivekananda circle without even taking a break during my menstrual cycle. There was no excuse for being a woman,” she said.

But an accidental fall at a diesel bunk in 2014-15, injured her spinal cord and she had to undergo a surgery. She was advised to stop driving. But she continues to serve in the KSRTC office distributing passes. Even today people continue to visit her like they did between 2005 and 2015 when she drove the bus, and many g e t p h o t o s clicked with her.

When asked a b o u t t h e reaction from family when she star ted driving the bus, she said that her family c o m p l e t e l y supported her. “I consider my department as father and officers as mothers who have always supported me. I am e s p e c i a l ly thankful to IPS officer B h a s k a r R a o w h o was deputy s e c u r i t y officer of KSRTC in 2005, who s u p p o r t e d m e immensely,” Ningamma said.

W h e n asked how she handled such a challenging task, she said, “I could do it with the blessings of Goddess Chamundeshwari and since then many women started considering me as an inspiration. It was a huge responsibility for me to continue to remain as a role model to all the women,” she said.

She has been honoured by nearly 100 institutions. Her daughter who is doing Bed now has already won the laurel as best teacher, and her daughter is preparing to pursue civil service exams. Ningamma stays with her family in Srirampura of Mysuru.