Bhubaneswar: From the depths of personal struggle has emerged a powerful symbol of courage and hope in Odisha—proving that when a woman dares to rise and is supported by a caring State, pain can be transformed into strength, leadership, and lasting inspiration.
Santoshi Deo of Keonjhar district has emerged as a powerful symbol of courage, choice, and women’s empowerment in Odisha—demonstrating how determination, resilience, and timely institutional support can transform personal adversity into leadership and national inspiration.
Married at the age of 16 in Haryana, Santoshi faced years of dowry harassment and domestic violence. Abandoned by her husband, she returned to Keonjhar as a school dropout and single mother, carrying the sole responsibility of raising her daughter with dignity and hope. What followed was not surrender, but a courageous decision to rewrite her future.
Inspired by seeing a woman auto-rickshaw driver in Chennai, Santoshi broke entrenched gender barriers in 2015 by becoming Keonjhar’s first woman auto-rickshaw driver. Her confidence and skill soon earned public recognition. In 2021, she created history again by becoming Odisha’s first woman Mo Bus driver in Bhubaneswar, inspiring women across the State to pursue non-traditional livelihoods.
Continuing to defy stereotypes, Santoshi trained to operate heavy machinery and went on to drive a 40-metric-tonne Volvo truck at the Guali site in Keonjhar district, working with Triveni Private Limited—a role traditionally dominated by men. Through this, she once again proved that competence, courage, and professionalism know no gender.
Her journey is also marked by extraordinary resolve. Santoshi drove her auto-rickshaw nearly 1,600 kilometres to New Delhi to seek justice in her personal legal battles and raise her voice before national leaders. She later drove from Keonjhar to Ayodhya to attend the Ram Mandir inauguration, earning admiration across multiple States for her endurance and determination.
Her inspiring life story was celebrated during the National Road Safety Month event in January 2026, where the Honourable Chief Minister of Odisha, Mohan Charan Majhi, hailed her as the “Daughter of Keonjhar” and a shining symbol of Odia pride, courage, and perseverance.
Santoshi Deo was also highlighted as a beneficiary of the AMA SuVahak scheme, a flagship initiative of the Commerce & Transport Department, Government of Odisha, aimed at empowering women entrepreneurs in the transport sector. The scheme provides interest-free loans of up to Rs 10 lakh, with additional subsidy support for electric vehicles, along with comprehensive institutional assistance—enabling women to achieve financial independence through sustainable and dignified livelihoods.
With the support of AMA SuVahak, Santoshi today is the owner of a four-wheeler vehicle and an emerging woman entrepreneur, reflecting the transformative impact of policy-driven empowerment and women-first mobility reforms in Odisha.
From a survivor of violence to a confident leader behind the wheel, Santoshi Deo’s journey represents a new Odisha—where women are empowered by opportunity, supported by policy, and inspired to lead. Her story stands as a beacon of hope, reaffirming that with courage and institutional support, no barrier is too strong and no journey too long.
