The Rapido ‘captain’ from Chennai that women trust for a late night drive home
Mahalakshmi Ramalingam, a karate instructor and Rapido bike taxi driver in Chennai, has become a trusted figure for women traveling late at night. She uses her martial arts background and professional flexibility to provide safe transport options.
Why it matters
It highlights grassroots solutions to urban safety concerns for women and the role of the gig economy in providing flexible income for marginalized workers.
Women wary of travelling at night with a male driver has someone to turn to: Rapido ‘Captain’ from Chennai, 45-year-old Mahalakshmi Ramalingam. She offers bike rides on Rapido late in the night. She is known as ‘Karate Mahalakshmi’ for a reason: she has been teaching and practising karate for two decades.
The article is a human-interest feature story focusing on an individual's personal experience and professional life.
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