Women’s Day 2024: Meet Goa’s three women in offbeat professions

(From left) Shweta Gaonkar, Goa’s only woman toddy-tapper; pink autorickshaw driver Shilpa Vantekar; lifesaver Ananyaa Bath

Goa’s only woman toddy-tapper

With barely 200 toddy tappers remaining in Goa, and being the only woman toddy-tapper, 27-year-old Shweta Gaonkar, from South Goa’s Sanguem taluka, a graduate in agriculture, is a hero. Apart from climbing trees for tapping-toddy, which she is adept at and hybridising coconuts, as a farm manager at a private farm, she trains workers in toddy-tapping and in using the climbing machine. “Climbing trees, gives me a high, literally, and I enjoy what I do,” she quips. She is grateful for the encouragement received and exhorts other girls to follow suit, as it will “help in keeping the Goan tradition alive.”

Pink autorickshaw driver

For someone who didn’t even know cycling, driving an autorickshaw for a living, is indeed an achievement for 40-year-old Shilpa Vantekar, from Divar island. “I have gained confidence and freedom in the past 2 years and am grateful to my daughter who persuaded me to take a loan for this Pink autorickshaw,” she elaborates. Balancing her work and home, she enjoys every minute of it and makes new friends daily. Fortunately, Goa being a safe place, she hasn’t encountered any problems. Economic independence and a sense of self-worth, is what she has got and urges other women to be self-reliant too.

Lifesaver

“Having dedicated the past six years to my role at Drishti Marine, the feeling of saving lives and aiding people in distress is truly surreal,” gushes 27-year-old Ananyaa Bath, armed with a BA in English and Psychology. Having entered the lifesaving team unexpectedly, after working in a different department, the unforeseen shift turned out to be a transformative experience for her. The ability to assist and eventually educate others on life-saving techniques, is what attracts Ananyaa to this job. She admits that  initially, it was a male-dominated landscape,  but vouches for a comfortable working environment and no gender distinctions. However, facing occasional gender-related scepticism from people, who are unfamiliar with female lifesavers, remains a challenge.