The no-nonsense mother of four arrives like clockwork at eight each morning to pick up passengers arriving from New Delhi, on the Rajdhani Express. A.L. Quadros, general secretary of the Bombay Taximen's Union, is impressed by Gawde's commitment and courage. Kanchan Gawde is the only woman taxi driver in Bombay and she drives all over the city. The cops here always side with the passengers. Gawde has had no such encounters in her eight years on the road because she is cautious, mostly picking up fares at train and airport terminals and avoiding groups of men.
Some women think it is risky and others are scared.
A deep yearning to get wheels motivated the former housewife's unconventional choice of career. Passengers are often startled when they step into her cab, but she has built up a loyal clientele. Like most urban working Indian women, Gawde also cooks a meal for her family at the crack of dawn. She packs lunch for her husband, gulps down three cups of tea and rushes to work. Her traffic constable husband and children help out with the chores and cooking.