Miles and mastery: Shanti Devi’s journey as the first female mechanic
Date: July 9, 2024
Living in the 21st century, we have witnessed multiple societal and economic changes; while some remain untouched, we hope to see many diminishing barriers and strive to fulfil our dreams in the foreseeable future.
One such step was taken by Shanti Devi herself, who said, ‘Struggle is an integral part of life.’ Her passion speaks for her identity, as she is believed to be India’s first female truck mechanic. When one pictures a mechanic, one is bound to think about a man holding various tools, but this remarkable woman defied many stereotypes. Her story is nothing short of strength, resilience, and ambition, leading us to this blog, where we will discover her chronicles to finally get on this road.
Early life
Originally from a poor background, Shanti was born and raised in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, to a construction worker. While she always showed a rebellious and forthright attitude, her education ran its course only until grade two. This led her to work for any job she could find, from tailoring clothes to even biddi making, if it earned her a few pennies to suffice herself.
At an early stage of 21, she tied the knot with her husband, who later died at a JC Mills fire on May 12 in Madhya Pradesh. She married herself off using her hard-earned income of around Rs 4000. After shifting to Delhi, she married a man with four children already. She even said that being able to marry for a second time can be considered a fluke.
Initially, she opened a tea shop, while her husband used to repair trucks. After the increased pressure, her husband motivated her to learn how to repair trucks. After 35 years, she earned the nation’s first female mechanic title.
A glimpse into Shanti’s journey
Glory at its best
A family with kids is quite a challenge for a single mother; with her first business as a tea shop, their success and good demographic aspects helped them quite the profit; Shanti herself revealed that change is inevitable; there was a time she used to sell tea for Rs 1.5, which is no less than Rs 10 now.
New venture
After finally starting a tyre repairing workshop, there was a bit of enthusiasm and potential visible for them as they were open to surprises. Initially, the couple hired a mechanic and articulated the art of fixing punctures and minor engine repairs. Their whole intention behind their new business was to generate more income than they were earning from selling tea, as handling eight children at once was not a cakewalk for them.
Recalling the old times, she mentioned that men would stare at her, probably wondering what she was doing in this stereotypically masculine profession. Little did they know things had changed and that, nowadays, more women are starting to lend a hand by helping their husbands run the family business.
New firsts
With the tyre puncture business, the couple started earning approximately Rs 900 a day, which was 30% less than during their tea business. This led them to charge puncture repair for Rs 100, which was later increased to an amount of Rs.120; she added that the nature was very predictable as their wages varied daily.
About 25 to 30 per cent of the people working in her account are women, yet they are restricted to simpler chores, especially at tea shops or dhabas. She is beyond grateful that she did not go down a similar road to them.
Strive past the hurdles
Anything but to boast about Shanti Devi is quite deserving of her as she has rightfully emulated and earned the credit for her whole hard work from blood, sweat and tears. She is quite the perfect example of a woman who has successfully struck a balance between her job and home and built a better life for herself and her family in the process.
Countering the aspersions cast on her, she admits that whenever you are out to do something substantial, people will criticize you at every point of time. But if you pay heed to them, you will stay on track and stay focused.
Men would often doubt her potential and stare at her, but things began to change slowly but steadily as her husband was always supportive and responded to them confidently and eventually, she gained their trust and respect that even in her husband’s absence, she handled the business alone.
Setting an identity
Her most proud moment is when people, especially her own employees, refer to her as ‘Masterji.’ Today, Shanti Devi lives and handles the venture independently, as her husband passed away due to cardiac arrest last year.
Luckily, they have a plot in the nearby Swaroop Nagar area and a scooter they managed to buy from their yearly savings at the tyre venture, which is unfortunately still under the municipality’s mercy.
She reflects on today’s youth, saying that they do not have the determination to fight. Today’s generation is not very flexible; they succumb to life’s challenges very easily and the fact they are not like her generation. Shanti Devi says that she has been constantly saying to her children that ‘face your fears’ is the only mantra to succeed in life.
Key takeaway
Today, she knows that she is a better mechanic than most men and proves it through her work every day, and she ensures to educate the many parents that there is no job that women cannot do. As Shanti recalls her whole journey of life, she admits that she was strong enough to face the battles and if there was anyone else in her shoes, they would have quit way too early.
Her whole motivation came from the determination and the will to fulfil her eight children’s dreams, which led to proving her worth that as a woman, she is powerful enough to make her own decisions and she can quite well ace any profession and balance it out while her personal life kept her worried for years. She declares that our narrow mentality limits the progress of girls by shamelessly levelling up and mitigating even the smallest misogynistic comments, which we ignore mindlessly. Shanti’s story is a glimpse into an ordinary rural woman’s life and how if you want something, the whole universe conspires for you to achieve it, so dream on, ladies!
