Intentar ORO - Gratis
Chak De Phatte!
Outlook
|March 11, 2025
Tackling a challenging life situation led to Neelkamal Thakur earning her new designation—the first female truck driver from Himachal to operate a commercial heavy load carrier
It was getting dark. Neelkamal Thakur, then 34, had a choice to make. The regular driver, after helping with the loading of the truck—registered under her name—abruptly refused to drive it to the desired location. It had happened before. This time, there was a deadline to meet. What Thakur did that evening changed the track of her life.
She decided to drive the cement-loaded truck from UltraTech’s plant in Baga in Solan district of Himachal Pradesh and safely deliver the consignment 102 km away to a location in the industrial belt of Nalagarh. She was nervous at first because covering such a long route at night on treacherous Himachal roads is quite a task—especially because the drive involved an uphill climb, followed by a long stretch downhill.
Providing her moral support was her teenaged nephew, Pankaj. They set off. The year was 2016. It was the erstwhile Manali-Chandigarh highway, unlike the four-lane highway now. “For a solo female heavy truck driver on her first trip, it was a dangerous route. But something inside me told me to go ahead. I don’t have words to express that feeling,” says Thakur.
She had no clear idea as to how brake pressure is applied in heavy vehicles. All she had driven until then was a small car that her family owned. It was all about trial and error. “At a particular check-point uphill, the vehicle started rolling back. I told Pankaj to quickly get down and place a stone at the rear wheel. It was dark and he was young, but he bravely supported me,” she recalls.
The journey became a milestone of her life and she earned a new designation—the first female truck driver from Himachal to operate a commercial heavy load carrier.
Esta historia es de la edición March 11, 2025 de Outlook.
Suscríbete a Magzter GOLD para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9000 revistas y periódicos.
¿Ya eres suscriptor? Iniciar sesión
MÁS HISTORIAS DE Outlook
Outlook
Get the Right Partner
The broking industry is now in a price-war phase, but cost is no longer the key differentiator. The choice will depend on how you plan to use a broking platform
4 mins
July 06, 2026
Outlook
Balanced Fertilizer Push for India
As India faces fertilizer import shocks; Deepak Shah, Chairman of CCFI calls for shift to high NUE solutions for food security and growth.
2 mins
July 06, 2026
Outlook
India’s Anaemia Paradox
From disputed estimates to hidden causes, India’s anaemia story is entering a new phase, one that could reshape how the country understands and addresses a condition affecting millions
5 mins
July 06, 2026
Outlook
Record Placements Anchor PIMR Legacy
Prestige Institute of Management and Research, Indore (Deemed to be University): Anchoring Three Decades of Academic Vanguard and Frontier Leadership
3 mins
July 06, 2026
Outlook
Clinical Excellence in High precision Radiation Therapy
Driven by the conviction that healing begins with humanity, radiation oncologist Dr. Amit Jain has impacted countless lives
2 mins
July 06, 2026
Outlook
A Paradise Worth Protecting
Ancient rainforests, endemic and rare mammals, birds and reptiles, exotic species of trees, breathtaking corals and indigenous tribes... Great Nicobar is home to all this and a lot more
5 mins
July 06, 2026
Outlook
Your Future Starts Here
Adichunchanagiri University (ACU), nurturing visionary thinkers, global leaders, and bold entrepreneurs who are ready to drive impact in a fast-evolving digital economy
3 mins
July 06, 2026
Outlook
Building a Sustainable Airport Ecosystem in Bengaluru
At Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru (BLR Airport), sustainability is a guiding philosophy shaping infrastructure, operations, growth, resilience and workplace culture.
4 mins
July 06, 2026
Outlook
Intelligent Imaging for Smarter Healthcare
Dilip Bhosale, shares with Outlook, how Agfa Radiology Solutions is leveraging advanced digital technologies, workflow automation and global expertise to shape the future of diagnostic imaging in India in conversation with Aditi Chakraborty
2 mins
July 06, 2026
Outlook
Advancing the Future of Oncology in Eastern India
A champion of accessible and patient-centred cancer care, Dr Soma Mukhopadhyay is leading NCRI Hospital towards new standards of excellence in oncology
2 mins
July 06, 2026
Listen
Translate
Change font size
