At present, women from Kashmir have stepped ahead in all sectors and departments that includes education, business, social networking sites, and technical work as well. It seems that women from Kashmir are making new success stories everyday with their dedication and hard work. Nowadays, women here are not just dreaming; they are making their dreams come true. Their success stories are an inspiration for everyone. And one amongst them is Rabiya Yaseen.
Rabiya belongs to Ramban and settled in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district after her marriage. She is currently 36 years old and a mother to four-year-old daughter. Rabiya opted for the work that belongs to the list of “work meant for males” and that includes truck driving. But Rabiya, with her determination and hard work, defeated all odds and broke stereotypes.
Rabiya married nearly six years back, and her spouse, Mohammad Imtiyaz Ahmad Mir, was a professional truck driver. Rabiya led a life as a housewife after marriage. Doing house chores, taking care of her family, and finally her daughter occupied her daily life.
Changes began unfolding as soon as she began accompanying her husband on trucking trips. As she sat with her husband and travelled so many miles on the road, she began getting drawn to this life. She got exposed to so many things on these trips. She enjoyed listening to the sound of the engine, the steering wheel, and so on.
She took a big step one day and told her husband, “I also want to learn how to drive trucks properly.” At that stage, it had not yet dawned on her that this trivial act would drastically alter the course of her life.
Operating a truck is not an easy job, let alone for a woman who had no experience with professional truck driving. At first, it was very hard for Rabiya to handle the clutch, brakes, steering, and gears. Mountain roads, tight corners, and traffic were double challenges for Rabiya.
As Rabiya herself relates, “I was shocked. I never thought that driving a truck would be my source of income.”
Nevertheless, her husband failed to let her lose confidence. In fact, he taught her every day and pointed out her mistakes. Rabiya slowly began getting rid of her fear. She received a valid license for heavy transport and became a truck driver. Today, she happily boasts, “Now we are not just husband and wife, but a couple who drive trucks together on the road.”
Rabiya was able to travel to some major states of India within a span of just one year with her truck. She has visited some distant places like Patna, Kolkata, Gujarat, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Telangana.
It doesn’t end there. It’s not only physically tiring but also very mentally draining, more so for a woman. Night driving, long-distance travel, fatigue, inclement weather, no rest, and safety all form a part of this life.
Rabiya continues saying: “On one side, traveling so far feels amazing, but on the other side, there are a lot of challenges.”
She admits that initially, she was very afraid. But eventually, she managed to deal with all things. “It was very tough for me, but now I personally have a feeling that my life will be incomplete without learning to drive,” she added with a smile.
The main reason for Rabiya's success has been her family. Rabiya's family members, as well as her relatives, have been with her at all times. Rabiya's family members include her husband and her in-laws.
She emotionally says, “My family provided me with wings to fly and achieve my dreams.”
She is also supported by her mother-in-law, Shehnaza Begum. She says, “Rabiya wanted to drive a truck all along. When she wanted it, we all encouraged her.”
The fact that Rabiya is a mother of a toddler and drives long distances makes her emotionally very tough. At times, she stays away from her daughter for several days. But her family shares responsibilities so that Rabiya can still pursue her dream.
She rose to fame across India because of a photo that went viral on various social media platforms, which depicted her driving a truck. Everyone was amazed at seeing a woman from Kashmir operating a truck which was so huge. She then made headlines across India with various newspapers because of her remarkable story. She also owns a YouTube channel named “Rabiya Vlogs 786,” where she uploads her experiences, life on the road, and struggles. Thousands of people subscribe to her and get inspiration from her life.
She continues, saying, “Alhamdulillah, I have got love and respect from people. That makes me stronger.” Her secret to success is that she thinks success begins with having the right mental attitude. According to her, success depends on an individual’s mental attitude. As she explains, “Everything depends on a person’s way of thinking. If you have the passion to move forward, every road leads to success.”
She breaks the traditional mindset, which had women’s aspirations restricted within the kitchen alone, as she says: “Kashmir is not the same anymore. Today, girls have opportunities too to move ahead.” As per her words, challenges have fewer instances in today’s era. All that is required is some strength and commitment.
Rabiya Yaseen is not only the first woman truck driver in Kashmir, but she is also an embodiment of women's empowerment. She has shown that women can select any occupation, family support can be life-transforming, passion doesn’t have a gender, and courage possesses the greatest strength
But today, she has emerged as a source of inspiration for thousands of girls in Kashmir who want something different in life. Rabiya Yaseen’s life teaches us that dreams can be attained only if they are reinforced with strength. A girl born and brought up in Ramban, married to a man from Pulwama, but today Kashmir's First Female Truck Driver there is no small thing.
Rabiya has driven a truck. That’s not all. She has also brought a change in the mind-set of society, opened new paths for women Imbued with the beaming message that “Nothing is impossible.” Today, she not only travels on the Indian highways but also travels with thousands of people in her heart as an icon of strength and inspiration.

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