Laxmi Jadhav gets off a bus, freshens up with a breakfast and chat session and climbs into the driver’s seat of another BEST bus. Her hair is tied up neatly; lipstick, nail paint, and a bindi with rhinestones—all red like her vehicle—are in place. She’s certainly not the burly, surly man you expect. The 41-year-old is the first female driver employed by the nearly 100-year-old Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) service.

At 9.30 am, Jadhav’s shift starts from Dharavi bus depot. She’s in her khaki uniform right from home. She’s been up since 5 am, finishing household chores in her home in Mulund. Nearly 30 rotis have been rolled out for her family of five— two sons (18 and 20), a husband and mother-in-law. Her eldest son is pursuing engineering, while the younger one studies commerce.