Imparting confidence: Anamika Sharma (right) imparts driving lesson to one of her students. Picture by Srinivas

This is indeed an all-girl army. Anamika Car Training Institute at Adityapur has evolved to be one of the best places for women to learn car driving in Jamshedpur.

Started four years back by Anamika Sharma, an alumnus of St Mary’s School, this is a unique driving school, which is run by a woman and is meant for women only.

“It all started when one of our family friend asked me to teach driving to her. I picked up the offer as I had nothing much to do those days. But with time, I realised that I can be a good teacher,” said Anamika who today runs a full-fledged office at Adityapur and is on the wheels for almost 14 hours every day.

Operating the entire process single-handedly, Anamika learnt the tricks of the trade from her father who too runs a transport business and has been ferrying schoolchildren from home to school for over two decades now.

“More than passion, it was out of necessity that I picked up this profession. We are two sisters, as time passed I realised that someone has to take up the family job,” said Anamika, who on leaner days can be seen driving on city roads riding an autorickshaw or a carrier van.

“I can drive any vehicle. Be it the Maruti 800 or a mini bus, but when it comes to teaching I restrict it to only cars,” she said.

Anamika picked up the nuances of driving when she was in her teens. “The reason why my institute only caters to women is because most women do not get the opportunity to learn driving. Moreover, being with another woman adds to their comfort level,” said Anamika.

In the last four years she has trained over 200 women across Jamshedpur.

Every student in her institute has to undergo a comprehensive 15-day training which is followed by a five days practice session in their own car. “The last five days are actually a testing time, when I just sit beside them and they have to do the driving,” said Anamika.

She also offers pick-and-drop facility to all her students during the course.

Though primarily a driving school, but the course contains a lot of other features as well. From road safety to traffic rules to the smart tricks of driving and how to drive on busy and uneven roads everything is covered in the fortnight programme.