Maha: Elderly woman earns praise for ability to drive car

A woman from Thane district ofMaharashtra, who is set to complete 90 years of age in a fewmonths, has become talk of the town after a video of herdriving a car has gone viral on social media, with netizenspraising her.The family members of the woman - Gangabai Mirkute -said they are trying to get a driving licence for her.Talking to reporters, the octogenarian woman, aresident of Dahagaon village in Badlapur, said it is theconfidence and not the age that matters in life.I wanted to learn driving and my grandson taught thatto me a couple of years back.

A woman from Thane district ofMaharashtra, who is set to complete 90 years of age in a fewmonths, has become talk of the town after a video of herdriving a car has gone viral on social media, with netizenspraising her.

The family members of the woman - Gangabai Mirkute -said they are trying to get a driving licence for her.

Talking to reporters, the octogenarian woman, aresident of Dahagaon village in Badlapur, said it is theconfidence and not the age that matters in life.

''I wanted to learn driving and my grandson taught thatto me a couple of years back. But even today, I can drive withconfidence,'' she said sitting behind the steering wheel.

Her grandson Vikas Bhoir from Khardi village in thedistrict said his maternal grandmother was born in 1931, andshe would complete 90 years of age on June 1.

''Around three years back, she had come to our place inKhardi. She fell ill and I drove her to a local doctor. On theway, I casually asked her if she wants to drive the car andshe replied 'Why not?'. I taught her driving and she startedpractising on open ground,'' he said.

''That was the beginning of her driving. Recently, whenI bought a car, I went to seek her blessings. She immediatelysat on the driver's seat and started driving. That was her wayof blessing me. I took a video of her driving the car anduploaded it on social media. The netizens praised her for herskills,'' Bhoir said.

He said the family was now trying to get a learners'licence for her.

''Earlier, we had tried to obtain a licence for her,but the process could not be completed due to lack of certaindocuments. Now, we plan to gift her with a learners' licenceon her birthday in June,'' he said, adding that the process forthe licence was on at the Regional Transport Office (RTO).

''We are determined that we will get the licence forher although it is difficult to get it considering her age,''Bhoir said.

Her son said they were initially worried whether shecould drive, but her confidence removed their fear.

When contacted, a senior official from the Kalyan RTOsaid any person who is mentally and physically fit can get adriving licence and there is no upper age limit for it.