Smashing stereotypes: Odisha’s Meghna Sahoo becomes Ola’s first transgender driver partner

Bhubaneswar: Meghna Sahoo from Odisha, who has broken many stereotypes in the past, became the first transgender driver partner with cab aggregator Ola.

The Bengaluru-based ride-hailing firm termed the move a big step for the transgender community.

“One small step for her, a large one for the community. Meet Meghna Sahoo, our first transgender driver partner,” Ola wrote in its official Twitter handle.

Sahoo, who has an MBA in HR and Marketing, currently works as a journalist with a vernacular weekly paper, feels proud for her new endeavour.

“I am now independent and financially strong after driving Ola cab. I am earning around Rs 25,000 to 30,000 per month for eight hours duty,” said Meghna hoping her move will inspire others from the community to take up the job.

Further explaining her experience to Odisha Sun Times, the 28-year-old said mostly women passengers feel safe when she is behind the wheels. “Being a driver, my job is to make feel all passengers –women and men safe while they travel in my cabs,” she said adding so far, customers treated her well.

Meghna said due to the help of some people and local RTO, she has managed to get a commercial driving license, which otherwise is a very difficult process.

She has got a Maruti Swift Dzire last month and since then she has been working with Ola.

Meghna, who has also been working as a transgender rights activist, became the first transgender in the state to have got married to a man last year, who befriended her on Facebook.

After undergoing sex change operation five years ago, she chose 32-year-old Basudeba as her life partner, who works as a supervisor in a private security agency in the city.

The transgender community hailed Meghna for her bold move. Social activist and All Odisha Kinnar Society President Pratap Sahu, said Meghna once again set another example for all who often take her lightly.

Meghna was also in the news in May last year when she announced to contest Rajya Sabha elections from the State after BJD leader Bishnu Charan Das resigned from the Upper House.

Accompanied by few transgender women in a procession, Meghna then purchased the nomination form at Odisha Legislative Assembly office to file the nomination.

 

 

 

 

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