Rejected for being a girl, Manasi Mridha became Kolkata’s first Pink Cab driver

When Manasi Mridha was born, her father reportedly did not even come to the hospital to see her. According to accounts of her life, the reason was painfully simple: he had wanted a son, not a daughter. Years later, after her younger sister was born, the family faced even greater hardship. Her father abandoned the family, leaving her mother to raise the two girls with little support. Manasi's mother worked as a cook in other people's homes, while the family struggled to meet basic needs. Manasi's education was also affected by poverty. She eventually dropped out of school in Class IX. At a young age, she was married and later became a widow, leaving her to raise her young son while facing rejection from her in-laws and limited support from her own family. Her story could have ended there.