From Survivor to Trailblazer: Santoshi Deo’s Journey Redefines Women’s Empowerment in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: From the depths of personal hardship has emerged a story of extraordinary courage and resolve that is fast becoming a symbol of women’s empowerment in Odisha. Santoshi Deo of Keonjhar district has transformed a life marked by adversity into one of leadership and inspiration, showing how resilience—backed by timely institutional support—can rewrite destinies.

Married at the age of 16 in Haryana, Santoshi endured years of dowry harassment and domestic violence before being abandoned by her husband. She returned to her native Keonjhar as a school dropout and a single mother, shouldering the responsibility of raising her daughter alone. What followed was not defeat, but a determined decision to reclaim her independence and dignity.

In 2015, inspired by a woman auto-rickshaw driver she encountered in Chennai, Santoshi shattered entrenched gender norms by becoming Keonjhar’s first woman auto-rickshaw driver. Her confidence and professionalism quickly earned public respect. She went on to create history again in 2021 by becoming Odisha’s first woman Mo Bus driver in Bhubaneswar, inspiring women across the State to explore non-traditional livelihoods in the transport sector.

Refusing to be limited by convention, Santoshi later trained to operate heavy machinery and took on the challenging role of driving a 40-metric-tonne Volvo truck at the Guali site in Keonjhar district, working with Triveni Private Limited. In a field overwhelmingly dominated by men, she once again proved that skill and determination transcend gender.

Her journey has also been marked by remarkable acts of endurance. Santoshi drove her auto-rickshaw nearly 1,600 kilometres to New Delhi to seek justice in her personal legal battles and make her voice heard at the national level. She later undertook another long-distance drive from Keonjhar to Ayodhya to attend the Ram Mandir inauguration, drawing admiration across States for her perseverance.

Santoshi’s inspiring life story was formally recognised during the National Road Safety Month event in January 2026, where Chief Minister Shri Mohan Charan Majhi honoured her as the “Daughter of Keonjhar”, describing her as a symbol of Odia pride, courage, and determination.

She has also emerged as a prominent beneficiary of the AMA SuVahak scheme, a flagship initiative of the Commerce & Transport Department, Government of Odisha, aimed at promoting women entrepreneurship in the transport sector. The scheme offers interest-free loans of up to ₹10 lakh, along with subsidies for electric vehicles and comprehensive institutional support, enabling women to achieve financial independence through sustainable livelihoods.

With support from AMA SuVahak, Santoshi today owns a four-wheeler and is steadily establishing herself as a woman entrepreneur—reflecting the impact of policy-driven empowerment and women-centric mobility reforms in Odisha.

From a survivor of violence to a confident leader behind the wheel, Santoshi Deo’s journey embodies a changing Odisha, where women are empowered by opportunity, strengthened by policy, and inspired to lead. Her story stands as a testament that with courage and institutional backing, no road is too long and no barrier too strong.