Breaking barriers: Trans woman becomes Navi Mumbai’s first auto-rickshaw driver after years of struggle | Mumbai News
[ad_1] Kareena Aade, Navi Mumbai’s first transgender auto-rickshaw driver, flashes a proud smile as she ferries passengers THANE: Each morning, Kareena Aade begins her day like many auto drivers in Navi Mumbai and Thane—engine humming, eyes alert for potholes and potential passengers. What sets her apart isn't just the occasional stares or surprised glances at seeing a transgender person behind the wheel, but her grit, resilience, and determination to break stereotypes and carve out a new identity. At 49, Kareena is a trailblazer. Decades ago, in her hometown of Akola, she realised she was transgender. Shunned by society and eventually by her own family, she could have easily broken down, but instead, she chose to fight back. Now driving a pink e-auto gifted through a corporate social responsibility initiative, Kareena is finally on the road—literally and figuratively—to independence. "She is […]