For 19 years, Jalaja of Kottayam led a quiet life as a homemaker after marrying Ratheesh, a truck driver. But her curiosity about her husband’s adventures on the road grew into a deep desire to experience the thrill of long-haul driving herself. On their wedding anniversary, she shared her wish to accompany him on a journey to Kashmir, only to be met with a challenge—Ratheesh insisted that she drive the truck herself. Though Jalaja had a heavy vehicle license since 2018, she had never thought about actually taking on such a role. Yet, inspired by his encouragement, Jalaja took to the wheel, successfully driving their loaded truck to Kashmir in a journey that took ten days.
Since her first trip in February 2022, Jalaja has crisscrossed India, covering 22 states and multiple union territories, including Ladakh. She has even ventured into neighboring countries like Nepal and Bhutan, exploring new cultures while transporting goods. Her passion inspired her sister-in-law, Soorya, and daughter Devika to earn their own heavy vehicle licenses, making them a unique trio in the Puthett family. Today, 27 Puthett trucks operate across India, and Jalaja is often behind the wheel of one of these vehicles.
Navigating through some of India’s toughest roads has added adventure to her life. For example, Jalaja and Ratheesh were once stranded for six days on the Jammu-Srinagar highway due to a landslide. She recalls walking several kilometers to find a place to freshen up amid queues of halted vehicles. The couple travels round the clock, with one resting while the other drives, and they carry cooking equipment to prepare meals on the go.
Inspired by her journeys, Jalaja launched a YouTube channel, ‘Puthettu Travel Vlog,’ which has amassed over 425,000 subscribers. Her daughter Devika, a BCom student, became a viral sensation when she shared her first truck-driving experience on Women’s Day. With future plans to visit more states in northeastern India, Jalaja is close to becoming the first Indian woman to drive a truck in every state, proving that dreams can transform into inspiring realities.
