From winning off-road jeep competitions to rushing the sick to hospital in ambulances - Kerala’s first woman ambulance pilot combines her passion for driving and service, while also being a role model for young women to follow their dreams.
Right from childhood, P G Deepamol wanted to be a driver.
At the age of 18 she learned to drive two-wheelers in her hometown. Soon she moved on to cars.
It was not long before she got licenses to drive a commercial taxi. And then heavy lorries too.
In 2021 she fulfilled another great ambition when she completed a challenging motorbike journey that cut across the whole of India from Kottayam in the south to Ladakh in the north. She sped through 3,700 kilometres of India’s roads – not always the smoothest or fastest either – in just 16 days.
Then came the off-roading. Clinching another feather in her cap, Deepamol won the first prize in the Kunnamkulam off-road jeep driving competition.
Not a bad bit of driving in a country where it is still a rarity to see women behind the wheel in most states.
Now Deepamol earns a living from her driving.
But that is not all.
Deepamol has always struggled financially even since childhood.
Then a few years ago her husband fell ill.
Not one to sit back and do nothing, she became a cab driver, thanks to a chance suggestion by a friend.
Because of her determination and driving skills, she was never short of customers ever since her first commercial trip in her friend’s car.
But the pandemic-induced lockdown threw a spanner in the works. Without work, it was tough to make ends meet.
Deepamol has always felt a need to help those in her community. And though she was struggling to feed her own family, she still wanted to be of service in whatever way she could.
She wanted to take COVID-19 patients to hospitals, but only government ambulances were allowed.
“So I knocked on the doors of my villagers offering support,” she recalled.
She brought food from community kitchen to patients and coordinated emergency relief.
Her compassion would be rewarded.
In the meantime she applied for the job of an ambulance driver with the state government’s health department, though she had little hope of actually getting the job.
But on International Women’s Day, Deepamol became Kerala’s first woman ambulance pilot, working for the Thalayolaparambu Public Health Centre (PHC) in the Kottayam district.
It was Kerala’s own Health Minister, Veena George, who handed Deepamol the key to the Kanivu 108 ambulance.
“With the valour and benevolence of Deepamol, Kerala begins a new era in women’s emancipation,” George said.
Though it takes a lot of grit and resilience to be an ambulance driver, in her short stint, Deepamol is proving her mettle and serving as a role model for young women.
Getting a government job also means a steady income and more social security, which she did not have as a cab driver.
Three days after starting her job, Deepamol received her first call around 11 am. She had to take a patient to the hospital.
Deepamol drove swiftly through the city to get to the hospital. Despite heavy traffic, she covered 30-odd kilometres in 22 minutes.
Recalling the first trip, she is happy.
“We managed to rush the patient to hospital to get timely medical help. The patient is alright now,” she said with apparent contentment. (ALSO READ: How bike ambulances help patients in remote areas access hospitals)
Although a nurse accompanies Deepamol in the ambulance, it is essential to be calm and composed.
Working three days a week, she must be ready within three minutes of getting a tip-off.
It’s like being on a razor’s edge. We have to follow all the traffic rules, yet maintain speed, as every second is crucial.”
“It’s like being on a razor’s edge. We have to follow all the traffic rules, yet maintain speed, as every second is crucial,” she told Village Square.
“The patient may be in tears or screaming in pain. Those accompanying them may be restless. But we shouldn’t be stressed,” she said.
She stays unperturbed at the sight of blood and patients’ moans, yet drives single-mindedly to reach the hospital at the shortest time possible.
Thiruvananthapuram-based A Sahadevan, who retired after working as an ambulance driver for 20-odd years, says that it is an incredibly stressful job that women are better at handling.
“I strongly feel that women are better suited to be ambulance pilots. They are more disciplined. And they cope with traumatic situations better,” he told Village Square.
He conceded that many men who are ambulance drivers take to the bottle to relieve the stresses of their high risk job.
“With women there’s no such problem.”
He believes that Deepamol is forging a path for more women to take to the job.
“Deepamol will be a beacon. More women will follow her footsteps,” he said.
His words ring true, as many young women seek Deepamol’s guidance.
“Never bend to stereotypes and stigma. Be courageous and service-minded,” she advises young women. “My job was a turning point not only for me but for every woman.”
Taking a cue from Deepamol, 24-year-old driving instructor Kavitha has decided to become an ambulance pilot too.
“Everyone discourages me. They caution me about marriage prospects,” said Kavitha. But she is determined.
“Steps are underway to appoint women ambulance pilots in all districts.,” Health Minister Veena George announced during a press meet.
Ambulance staff are helping more and more women deliver babies too – there were 53 such deliveries in the last year. This is another reason authorities are keen on adding more women ambulance drivers.
“Being a woman is not a drawback or disqualification,” agrees Deepamol. “If there’s a will, there’s a way.”
K. Rajendran is a journalist based at Thiruvananthapuram.
