In 2002, Shahubanath S broke through one of Kerala’s most male-dominated bastions to earn a place in history -- the driver’s seat of the state-run bus service. Today, she’s not just a pioneer—she’s a mentor, a cancer survivor, and a symbol of resilience.
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[00:00:00] Who is KSRTCs first woman driver? If you've ever prepped for a Public Service Commission exam in Kerala, the question might sound familiar. But behind the answer is a story that's anything but a trivia tidbit. It's one of grit, survival and fear's drive.
[00:00:24] Hi and welcome to News Brake. This is Haritha Benjamin and today we take a detour from our regular explainers to listen to a story. The extraordinary tale of a woman driver in Kerala, S. Shahubanat.
[00:00:41] In 2002, Shahubanat from Anjal in Kerala's Kollam district, steered her way into the state's history by becoming the first woman to drive the KSRTC bus, the state-run bus service. Today, the 52-year-old's more than just a pioneer. She's a mentor, a cancer survivor and an unwavering symbol of resilience.
[00:01:14] I was married off to Aachal. The family ran Al Bilal Driving School. I learned driving after coming here. When I joined to learn, I started developing a passion, not just for driving but also for teaching. In 1996, I got my LMV, light motor vehicle, license and the following year, in 1997, I secured my heavy vehicle license. We had a heavy vehicle at the school and I began practicing with that too.
[00:01:44] Eventually, in 2002, I applied to KSRTC. I was selected and I drove for the corporation from 2002 to 2004. I wanted more than anything to bring more women into this field.
[00:01:59] That's when I decided to focus fully on teaching. I began training women to drive heavy vehicles as well. The school started doing well. Over time, thousands of students have come through our doors. I must have trained thousands by now.
[00:02:14] After getting her heavy vehicle license, Shahubanad began driving a private bus named Archana in Anshal in 1998. Soon after, she applied to the KSRTC and made history. Newspapers at the time had a memorable phrase for her arrival. Walayam Pidikyan Walayatakaikal bangled hands at the wheel. She remembers those days fondly.
[00:02:42] When I used to drive on the Poonalur Archal route, there were passengers who would wait specifically for my bus to go to Kulatupura. A lawyer used to wait just to board my bus. People felt very safe and secure on my bus. There was a bus called Gomez on the Kulatupura route. People would board my bus instead of taking that one. Once, the Gomez bus stopped and threatened me in Kulatupura. I was deeply upset then.
[00:03:10] There was resistance when she started teaching. But over time, that changed. People began enrolling in large numbers. Shahubanad earned her LMV license in 96. The next year, she got her heavy vehicle license. And soon the word spread. There was a woman instructor in town. Women queued up for her lessons at the driving institute. But the road wasn't always smooth for Shahubanad.
[00:03:38] At her driving ground, Shahubanad still shows up every day. A dupatta, tucked away carefully behind her ears, conceals the hair loss from the chemotherapy. It's a quiet but powerful statement of her grit. She doesn't slow down, keep left, change gears. Her voice rings out with authority. It's hard to believe she had chemotherapy just the day before.
[00:04:04] I was diagnosed with cancer in 2024. Though I began treatment at Kim's, I continued working even after chemo, after lunch. I can't let an illness stop me. Even cancer couldn't slow her down. After 26 rounds of chemotherapy and 20 radiation sessions, she still shows up, still instructs. By her side is her daughter-in-law Amina and son Bilal.
[00:04:32] I've been here for 10 years now. Every morning, I see mother, ama, leave by 7 o'clock or 7.30 am and work until evening. Teaching driving wasn't always my plan, but now it's my pride. People recognize us wherever I go. It brings us respect and that makes me proud. Mother struggled for a year. She has strong willpower. Nothing defeats her. She just wants to keep teaching.
[00:05:00] Even if she's back from chemo or radiation, she'll still take a car out for classes. Even if she hasn't eaten, she wants to continue teaching. Some people said she wouldn't be able to give classes, but nothing affected her. The classes were given on time. She was more interested in teaching than in her treatment. Even after 26 rounds of chemotherapy and 20 sessions of radiation, she never wanted to stop teaching.
[00:05:28] Women tend to drive more carefully than men. People only talk about the rare exceptions. Women drive slowly. The men who are in a rush don't like this. Women need freedom. They should be able to move around safely and independently, without having to rely on someone else to drive them.
[00:05:54] Even today, Shahubanath begins her day at 7.30am. Her survivor, a teacher, a trailblazer, Shahubanath is still powering on. So hope you've enjoyed today's special episode. This is On Manorama's News Break, an explainer podcast produced by Harita Benjamin. It airs every week and is available on all podcast platforms. Follow onmanorama.com for more updates.