In collaboration with the Rakshak Foundation Kolkata, inDrive, a global platform for urban services and mobility, announced the start of the Driving Naari program in Kolkata, which aims to empower women by giving them equal opportunity to pursue careers in driving. Through the program, disadvantaged women will be able to pursue careers as professional drivers and earn well-paying “livelihoods with dignity”.

 inDrive’s APAC Communications Lead, Pavit Nanda Anand said “The Driving Naari program is transforming lives. Women are now empowered to pursue careers as professional drivers. They will be inspired to take ownership of their lives and become self-reliant, self-assured people by this effort. As part of our Driving Naari project in Kolkata, we are providing each candidate with an electric scooter that is GPS-enabled. We plan to repeat this campaign in several Indian cities. It will fulfill several goals: it will empower women, increase the number of women in the workforce, give them a safe option for mobility, improve the environment, and dispel gender preconceptions about the kinds of jobs that women can and cannot perform”.

“Driving Naari is an initiative by inDrive that works towards empowering women by pushing boundaries to discover their true potential behind the wheel. The goal is to promote change. In addition to changing the ride-hailing industry, inDrive is leading the way for a time when gender equality will be the norm on the road and women will be able to support themselves financially by encouraging them to pursue careers as drivers” said Avik Karmakar, GTM Manager, inDrive, South Asia.

In Kolkata, 15 women are a part of the Driving Naari campaign.

“The Driving Naari campaign by inDrive is a testament to the company’s dedication to challenging injustice and creating positive change for all communities. Being a part of this project makes me very happy, and I’m proud to be associated with an organization that prioritizes its people. Now is the time to promote equality. We must not think of whether the driver is a male or a female. Women are breaking the boundaries in every field. And this must not be a difference” said Vikrant Massey, actor and inDrive brand ambassador.

Through empowering people, inDrive is bringing about change in communities. Aiming to empower one billion people worldwide by 2030, Driving Naari by inDrive is a program that supports women’s rights in India. For this effort, inDrive will offer all Driving Naari candidates the following amenities at no cost to them:

●     Driving Training

●     Driver Licence

●     Annual Maintenance Charges for the vehicle

●     ⁠Register as a driver with inDrive

●     No Service Fee from inDrive so that the candidates can make more money

●     EV Scooty

●     Smartphones

●     Special training on how to use inDrive to take rides and earn money

However, women continue to face obstacles when it comes to pursuing a profession in driving. Specifically, safety concerns deter some women from working in the gig economy. To remedy this, inDrive will provide all Driving Naari candidates with the following advantages to assist them in applying for Safe Drive with inDrive:

●     24*7 Special Helpline Number

● GPS-enabled EV Scooty

●     Medical Insurance

●     Advanced Self Defence Training

●     Special road safety training by traffic police

●     Safety device

●     Medical kits

●     Helmets for Rider & Pillion

This inDrive project will make the city safer and more welcoming by assisting women in achieving financial independence, flexibility, and respect at work.

Priyanka Dutta