KATHMANDU: Harmita Shrestha wanted to become a driver from her childhood days. Her fascination with driving began with childhood encounters with motor vehicles, particularly buses traversing her village in Dharan in the eastern part of Nepal. “I always wondered how these buses move,” Harmita said, recalling her childhood days.
Her interest in driving and motor vehicles grew further when her father bought a Maruti van. She learned the skill of driving behind the wheel of that van and eventually secured her driver’s license for light vehicles in 2001. This marked the beginning of her career in driving. She has now acquired a driver’s license for heavy vehicles and works for Sajhya Yatayat—one of the oldest public transport companies in the country. She is the only woman driver with Sajha Yatayat, which operates passenger buses on different routes in the Kathmandu Valley.
Harmita has been driving buses for Sajha Yatayat for the past six years. Before joining Sajha Yatayat, she drove light vehicles for nearly one and a half decades for UN agencies like UNDP and UNICEF. “I worked with UNICEF for 10 years and UNDP for five years,” Harmita said. “Working for organizations like UNICEF and UNDP instilled in me the belief that women are capable of anything they set their minds to.”
She has navigated diverse terrains across the country. “I have driven on unpaved roads. Likewise, I have reached different parts of the country even during the armed conflict,” she said. “When rebels tried to torch her vehicle, I convinced them saying that these vehicles are used by people working for the welfare of children and social development.”
Sajha Yatayat operates a fleet of both electric and internal combustion engine (ICE) buses. She has been driving both types of buses. “I am supporting my family through this provision. Everyone in my family is happy,” she shared.
Despite the initial skepticism she faced as a woman in a traditionally male-dominated field, she has earned recognition and respect from passengers and peers alike. “It feels good when others like my work. Many people still feel surprised when they see a woman behind the wheel of such a big bus,” Harmita said.
Many women drive small electric three-wheelers in the Kathmandu Valley. Likewise, there are several women driving electric three-wheelers in the plains of Tarai. “But it is difficult to find a woman driving heavy vehicles,” she added.
Harmita’s daily routine is no different from other working women. Like all other women, she has been balancing her professional responsibilities with household duties. She rises at five in the morning to manage household chores and prepare her daughter for school. She reaches the Pulchow-based garage of Sajhya Yatayat at 7 am and takes her bus on the designated route. She isn’t back home before 8 in the evening. “I drive all day. I drive people to their destinations. But I have to walk to my home after parking my bus in the garage,” she added.
Harmita said there is a need to challenge societal stereotypes and foster a supportive environment for women pursuing diverse careers. “We have to change these negative mindsets. I have made the beginning,” she said. “No job is small; one just needs to be broad-minded.”
Harmita said women aren’t pursuing driving as a profession because of the problems they face in obtaining a driver’s license. “I think the government should take the initiative and encourage more women to take up driving as a profession,” she added.
Reflecting on her journey, Harmita feels happy that she has been able to challenge gender norms and prove her capabilities in a demanding profession. She encourages women to take driving as a profession. “Follow your passion and don’t let others deter you,” she told aspiring women.
