The ride will be a tribute to soldiers and their widows. Ambika lost her husband when she was 19. She was pursuing her graduation at the time and had a three-month-old daughter to take care of. Her fighting spirit that stands tall against all odds is an inspiration to many.
Through this solo ride that connects all the 25 Rainbow stations across the country, Ambika aims to motivate others like her.
“When my husband passed away in 1997, I was a BCom student. I had many pending papers to clear. I had to complete my graduation to be eligible for good placement on compassionate grounds. So, some of my friends took care of my daughter Arya, when I went to college and some others taught me the missing portions,” she said.
In the evenings, she learned computer skills and got a job as an accountant. In between, she took a break to learn cost accounting and registered at the Cochin chapter of the Institute of Cost & Works Accountants of India (ICWAI) in 2008. She continued there for a year and stopped at inter. She joined the Akashvani as a part-time Casual Assignee assignee the same year.
“While working as an accounts professional, I pursued my passion as an RJ, which changed my life for good. These engagements had a very positive effect on me. It made me a more responsible person. Now, I am proud that this job lets me gather information as well as impart it to the public. I consider my days at Akashvani a turning point in my life. It helped me to fight against all odds in life with mental fortitude and raise my daughter to be a socially committed and hard-working person. Now, she is working as a designer in Infosys,” she said.
Ambika thanked the great support from Akashvani, especially from deputy director-general Sethumadhavan P, Rainbow PEX Anitha Varma, RJ friends and listeners, her mentor Chandramohan Pillai from Qatar and Air Force Wing Commander Anand Dubey. All the stations have been alerted about the trip and directed to offer her help in case of an emergency. “I want to do more for the younger generation. The feeling of being independent led me to the idea of a solo Indian ride. My life has made me realise that if you have the potential and self-confidence, everything is possible,” she added.
Making waves
The solo ride will be flagged off by district collector Jaffar Malik at Kakkanad. Ambika expects to complete the ride in under 50 days