A woman who dared to...

“A woman is like a tea bag; you never know how strong it is until it's in hot water.” 
says Eleanor Roosevelt. In a situation when the entire city was at home on the BMTC and KSRTC strike day,  it was Prema Ramappa, a 33 year old lady BMTC bus driver who dared to take the bus out of her depot.

 Threats from disgruntled elements or her colleagues’ precautionary words, nothing could change her firm mind. The duty bound Prema explained that she got into the bus despite her own colleagues trying to stop her .She said “ I feel my job is service to the public. This is the reason I found it necessary to do that.

 I also know that it is from that service that I earn my daily bread. That is the reason I found it essential to do the same.” She added.

 It was at Shantinagar bus stop that people waited just to get a glimpse of the bold lady and express their appreciation. Prema, unmindful of the consequences she will have to face made her trips to and fro from majestic to kormangala depot. “I could see how relieved the people felt when they saw a bus passed by. They also offered me money as a token of appreciation and a few invited me home for lunch” added the overwhelmed lady.

  Thanking her managing director K R Srinivas, she said “He was so generous. He handed over a cheque of rupees 10,000 with no second thought.” Prema was in limelight earlier too when she became the first BMTC women driver. The lady also expressed that given a chance, she would still be happy to drive the bus.