Namma Sarathi Trust Launches Women- and Trans Women-Driven ‘Pink Auto’ Fleet in Bengaluru .

 Namma Sarathi Trust (R) announced the launch of “Namma Sarathi” – a fleet of pink auto-rickshaws run by women and trans women drivers in Bengaluru. This pioneering initiative aims to transform public transport by creating sustainable livelihoods, ensuring safer mobility for passengers, and challenging long-standing stereotypes in the city’s transport sector.

With Bengaluru’s urban transport expanding rapidly, women’s participation as drivers in the para-transit space remains disproportionately low. The Namma Sarathi project seeks to change this by training, licensing, and supporting women and trans women to become professional auto-rickshaw drivers. The initiative will prepare 1,000 drivers by March 2026 and scale up to 10,000 by 2030, positioning women as a driving force in the city’s mobility ecosystem.

As part of its implementation, five training centres will be established across Bengaluru, offering a structured three-month program covering driving skills, traffic rules, vehicle maintenance, digital and financial literacy, customer service, and self-defense. In partnership with the RTO and financial institutions, the Trust will also facilitate driving license issuance and access to vehicle loans, while working with unions and aggregator platforms to ensure employment linkages.

“Namma Sarathi is not just about auto training, it is about community,” said the Namma Sarathi team. “By putting women and trans women in the driver’s seat, we are creating opportunities for dignity, financial independence, and a safer Bengaluru. Our vision is to normalize their presence on the city’s streets and set an example for other Indian cities.”

C. Sampath, President, Namma Sarathi Trust, said: “This is a historic moment for Bengaluru. For too long, women and trans women have been passengers but rarely drivers. With Namma Sarathi, we are shifting that narrative.”

Rudra Murthi, Vice President, added: “This initiative is about more than jobs—it is about visibility and representation. Every pink auto on the road will carry a story of courage and change.”

Kavri, General Secretary, remarked: “The program also focuses on equipping our drivers with financial literacy, digital know-how, and self-defense. We want to ensure their empowerment is holistic and lasting.”

Meenakshi, Joint Secretary, said: “Our dream is that when someone sees a woman or trans woman behind the wheel, it feels absolutely normal. That is when we know change has truly arrived.”

Dr Devika Raj, treasurer added: "Namma Sarathi represents more than just pink auto-rickshaws on Bengaluru's roads – it's a powerful movement that puts women and trans women in the driver's seat of both their economic futures and the city's transformation toward inclusive mobility.”

Dr. Akkshye Tulsyan, Honorary Consul of Namibia and mentor  of Namma Sarathi Trust, added that the initiative is as much about societal transformation as it is about mobility. “This program combines empowerment with impact. By 2030, we envision 10,000 women and trans women drivers leading the way in Bengaluru’s auto-rickshaw network. When women are behind the wheel, the entire city moves forward.”

The Namma Sarathi team also expressed heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Tulsyan, acknowledging his early guidance and motivation. “Dr. Tulsyan’s faith in our vision gave us the courage to begin. His support has been instrumental in shaping Namma Sarathi into a movement, not just a project.”

Through this project, Namma Sarathi expects to create new income streams for women—ranging between ₹15,000–₹25,000 per month—while providing the public with a reliable and safer transport option. More importantly, it will establish a replicable model of women-led mobility that can be scaled across India.

About Namma Sarathi Trust

Namma Sarathi Trust (R) is a Bengaluru-based non-profit organisation committed to advancing gender equality, inclusive mobility, and women’s empowerment. Founded with the mission of transforming public transport, the Trust provides women and trans women with training, licensing, and support to participate fully in the auto-rickshaw sector—an often male‐dominated space. Programs include driver education (skills, traffic rules, vehicle maintenance), financial and digital literacy, self-defense training, and assistance in obtaining licenses and vehicle financing. By enabling safe, dignified livelihoods, Namma Sarathi seeks to create systemic change: building visibility, agency, and opportunity for women and trans women, and offering a replicable model for inclusive, women-led mobility in Indian cities.