Thiruvananthapuram: Beating a new path, Sarika Jyothy has become the first woman assistant of the state Motor Vehicle Department in Kerala. Sarika, whose motivation was her father Jyothykumar, a driver, is the lone lady in the new batch of 176 assistant motor vehicle inspectors.
Recently, the government decided to appoint 176 assistant motor vehicle inspectors as part of its ‘Safe Kerala’ campaign to reduce road accidents in the state. Sarika, an engineering graduate, is the first woman to get direct appointment, following a written examination, as assistant motor vehicle inspector.
"My father told me that he could have made his son, if he had one, a vehicle inspector. This elicited an interest in me towards that profession," she said.
She collated details about this vocation and enquired whether women could apply for the job. When Sarika came to know that she was eligible, her focus was to become a vehicle inspector and realize her father’s dream.
After Class XII, Sarika studied Diploma in Automobile Engineering at Government Polytechnic in Attingal in Thiruvananthapuram district. At the age of 20, Sarika got licence to ride two-wheelers and drive autorickshaws and four-wheelers. After two years, she also obtained the heavy driving licence, and can also operate cranes and earth movers.
Sarika appeared for the assistant examination while in the last semester of her BTech course at College of Engineering, Perumon in Kollam district. She cleared the examination in flying colours and joined duty at the Transport Commissionerate on November 2. She informed the officials concerned that she was willing to join any transport office in the state.
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