📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Prime Minister's Office
Jobs & Career
Himachal’s 25‑year‑old Neha Thakur quits air‑hostess training to become state’s first female 16‑tonne truck driver
✍️ economictimes.com
🗓 19 Sep 2026, 10:01 PM
👁 9
Neha Thakur, 25, from Himachal Pradesh, abandoned her air‑hostess training to take up driving a 16‑tonne truck, becoming the state’s first woman in this role.
Neha Thakur, a 25‑year‑old resident of Himachal Pradesh, decided to leave her ongoing air‑hostess training to pursue a career behind the wheel of a heavy‑duty vehicle. She has now taken charge of a 16‑tonne truck, a segment traditionally dominated by men.
Her move marks the first time a woman from Himachal has been licensed to operate a truck of this size, highlighting a breakthrough in gender barriers within the state’s transport sector. The decision reflects her personal ambition to challenge conventional career choices.
Industry observers note that Thakur’s transition may inspire other women to consider roles in logistics and heavy‑vehicle operation, sectors that are actively seeking skilled drivers amid a nationwide shortage. Her story underscores a growing trend of women entering non‑traditional occupations across India.
Her move marks the first time a woman from Himachal has been licensed to operate a truck of this size, highlighting a breakthrough in gender barriers within the state’s transport sector. The decision reflects her personal ambition to challenge conventional career choices.
Industry observers note that Thakur’s transition may inspire other women to consider roles in logistics and heavy‑vehicle operation, sectors that are actively seeking skilled drivers amid a nationwide shortage. Her story underscores a growing trend of women entering non‑traditional occupations across India.