30-year-old Veeralakshmi breaks another glass ceiling in Tamil Nadu

When she applied for the job of an ambulance driver, 30-year-old Veeralakshmi did not know she would be the first woman to get into a profession that has long been dominated by men.

A cab driver by profession, Veeralakshmi was at the wheels of an ambulance, which was inducted into government service for Covid-19 related work on Monday. She is the first woman ambulance driver in Tamil Nadu, though a few women in other states of the country have challenged men in this field too.

The mother of two children, Veeralakshmi, wants her actions to speak more than her words. “I never knew that I would be the first woman ambulance driver in the state. I applied for the job since there was a vacancy and I felt I deserve it. Only after I went for the interview, I came to know I am the first woman in the field,” she told DH.

Veeralakshmi, who has been driving around a cab in Chennai for the past four years, will return to her native district of Theni after completing her training to helm an ambulance in the hinterland. The government on Monday inducted 108 ambulances that are equipped with oximeters and other equipment that would be beneficial for Covid-19 patients.

The woman ambulance driver is confident that she will be able to perform a challenging job without any hiccups. “Every job is challenging, and this will also be, I am sure. I do not want to say what I will achieve. I am a person who believes in action rather than words. I am confident of emerging successfully here too,” she said.

Veeralakshmi had wanted to join the government service as an ambulance driver last year but missed the deadline for applying for the post. However, the Coronavirus pandemic opened up opportunities which the woman seized of successfully.

Deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam took to Twitter to laud Veeralakshmi and said the woman will serve as an inspiration for many women to come and join the job.