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By:

Akhilesh Sinha

25 June 2025 at 2:53:54 pm

Driving Change

Once trapped by poverty and abuse, Sufina found freedom behind the wheel — and now helps women travel safely across Delhi. The woman who once felt unsafe is now ensuring women travellers get home securely from Delhi’s airport, day or night. Among those providing this round-the-clock service is Sufina, a cab driver with the “Driven by Women for Women and Families” initiative. Sufina, who now offers peace of mind and safe journeys to female passengers, was once deeply troubled herself. But she...

Driving Change

Once trapped by poverty and abuse, Sufina found freedom behind the wheel — and now helps women travel safely across Delhi. The woman who once felt unsafe is now ensuring women travellers get home securely from Delhi’s airport, day or night. Among those providing this round-the-clock service is Sufina, a cab driver with the “Driven by Women for Women and Families” initiative. Sufina, who now offers peace of mind and safe journeys to female passengers, was once deeply troubled herself. But she refused to give up. Pulling herself out of hardship, she not only became self-reliant but also an inspiration for marginalised women in society. Partnering with the Sakha-Azaad Foundation, Sufina has scripted an extraordinary story. Sakha Consulting Wings launched this women-driven cab service for female passengers under the brand  Women with Wheels . All drivers, including Sufina, received training in driving and self-defence through the Azaad Foundation. Born Into Hardship Living in East Delhi’s Anand Vihar, Sufina was married to a daily wage labourer at just 16. By 18, she was a mother. Poverty was crushing; meals were often scarce. Desperate to escape this misery, she began searching for a way out. That was when she met a Sakha volunteer who suggested driver training. It became the turning point in her life. The road ahead, however, was anything but easy. Breaking Free Sufina was stepping into a male-dominated world, and it frightened her at first. Yet her hunger for financial independence gave her courage. In the early days, she faced strong opposition from both her husband and parents. Before leaving for work, her husband would beat her and lock her inside the room to stop her from attending training. But Sufina refused to surrender. Teaming up with her mother, she found a way out. After her husband left for work, her mother would unlock the door. Before he returned, Sufina would quietly slip back home to avoid more conflict. After completing her training, she worked as a private driver for nearly two years, continuing the same routine. As her earnings, confidence and independence grew, so did her assertiveness — and with it, her husband’s suspicion. One day, when he raised his hand again, Sufina fought back. She told him she would not tolerate it anymore. Shocked, he stopped. He never hit her again. Driving Change Sufina believes the turning point in her marriage came when her husband fell seriously ill. She admitted him to a private nursing home and paid for his treatment from her own savings. From then on, he began trusting her and valuing her work. Though the struggle had been painful, Sufina emerged stronger. She now asks a powerful question:  Why must a woman endure so much just to prove herself? Today, she is determined that her daughters should grow up with freedom and choice. In her community, she is respected and admired. Local girls and women see in her a path to self-reliance and dignity. The woman who once lived in fear now helps other women travel without it — and in doing so, she is driving change far beyond Delhi’s roads.

Golden Triumph

Updated: Oct 21, 2024

India’s journey in chess, once synonymous with Viswanathan Anand, has evolved into something far grander. A country that once revered a single grandmaster now basks in the collective glory of its young prodigies. The 45th International Chess Federation (FIDE) Chess Olympiad in Budapest marked the crowning achievement of this new generation. India’s chess masters not only created history by winning team gold medals in both the men’s and women’s competitions, but they also swept individual honours with four gold medals. The performance in Budapest, which saw India dominate on the world stage, is the culmination of a chess revolution decades in the making.

The victories of Gukesh Dommaraju, Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa, and Arjun Erigaisi in the men’s category as well as the wins by Harika Dronavalli, Vaishali Rameshbabu, Divya Deshmukh, Vantika Agrawal and Tania Sachdev in the women’s competition, were historic. It is a long way from the days when Viswanathan Anand stood alone on the global chess stage. Anand’s world championship victories, particularly in 2000 when he became India’s first world chess champion, paved the way for a new generation of players in a country where cricket has traditionally held a monopoly on sporting fame.

India’s rise in chess is not just a story of talent but of perseverance and innovation. The country’s chess revolution has been aided by the digital age, with online platforms like Chess.com and Lichess.org playing pivotal roles in democratizing the game. Many of India’s young grandmasters, including Gukesh and Praggnanandhaa sharpened their skills by playing against global opponents online, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic, which forced tournaments into virtual spaces. The 2020 Chess Olympiad, held online, saw India joint winners alongside Russia - a precursor to the Budapest triumph.

In Budapest, the Indian team did more than win—they dominated. The women’s team, led by Harika, finished with 19 points, edging out Kazakhstan. 18-year-old Deshmukh, who remained undefeated with seven wins and four draws, was praised by chess great Susan Polgar for her “amazing performance,” with predictions that this Indian team would stay on top for years to come.

Challenges persist. Funding, though improving, lags behind nations like Russia and China. Young players often juggle chess careers with educational demands. Sustaining dominance will need ongoing investment in infrastructure, sponsorship, and global exposure.

But for now, India can celebrate a victory that was years in the making. The 2024 FIDE Chess Olympiad in Budapest is a milestone not only in the annals of Indian chess but in the global chess community as well. The triumph, both in the Open and Women’s events, signals a new era where Indian chess players are not just competing with the best — they are the best! And in a game that rewards foresight, India’s chess future looks brighter than ever.

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