Nainital woman Kamla Negi repairs heavy vehicle tyres at age 60
Known as the 'Iron Lady', Kamla Negi has expanded her business from bicycle repairs to servicing JCB machines and trucks.
Kamla Negi, a 60-year-old resident of Odakhan village in the Ramgarh block of Nainital, repairs punctures for various vehicles, according to a Times of India report. Her repair shop is located along the Ramgarh–Mukteshwar road, serving local residents, tourists, and commercial drivers.
Negi began her work in 2004 by renting bicycles to children. After initially asking others to fix bicycle punctures, she decided to learn the skill herself. Her business eventually grew to include motorcycles, scooters, cars, trucks, buses, dumpers, and JCB machines.
The shop provides basic servicing such as replacing brake, clutch, and accelerator cables, as well as changing engine and gear oil. Negi handles these tasks while wearing a sari, despite facing taunts and comments from people who questioned her profession.
Negi's husband, Hayat Singh Negi, previously worked as a puncture repairman in Delhi. After returning to the village, he began repairing tyres along the roadside to support the family, which helped Negi develop her own professional identity.
Negi is known by the titles 'Tyre Doctor' and 'Iron Lady' of Nainital. She displays her contact number near her shop to assist motorists facing emergencies on the mountain roads.