It is often the passion or the hard times that push one harder towards dreams. But for 29-year-old Dechen Pelden, it was both. Her love for automobiles infused with the struggle to support her family made her the only female mechanic in Monggar today.
Dechen Pelden works for Newly Automobile Workshop in Monggar. She is replacing a brake pad.
Becoming a mechanic wasn’t easy. But her persistence paid off. Dechen didn’t attend any training institute to learn the skills of mechanics. She joined the workshop as a supervisor in 2013. But her curiosity led her to learn skills from other mechanics and become a full-fledged mechanic herself.
“I learnt how to repair the cars from my senior colleague. Since I have an interest in repairing cars, I assisted him and acquired the skills. Now I know how to repair Bolero and Maruti Suzuki cars. I can change the spring, shocker, and bush of Mahindra cars. I can also change the stirring rack, arms, brake pad and caliper of Maruti Suzuki cars.”
Dechen says life took many turns. Her husband passed away a couple of years ago and she became the sole breadwinner of her family. With an eight-year-old daughter to tend to, she never imagined she would be able to provide for her family let alone have a job.
“Since my husband expired, it is difficult to manage money all by myself. Though the proprietor gives salary on time, it is challenging to bear the expenses of my school-going girl and also pay the house rent on time,” added Dechen.
Juggling between the responsibilities of being a mother and a mechanic, she perhaps might have created a world that is inclusive, equal and free of discrimination in her way.
“She is a hard-working woman. She knows how to change grease oil, engine oil and brake pad. If you have passion, I think other women can also do mechanical work. But so far I haven’t seen many women who are interested to work as a mechanic like Dechen,” said Kado, Head Mechanic of Newly Automobile Workshop.
For Dechen, learning doesn’t stop here. She plans to learn all kinds of repairing works and become as skilled as other mechanics in the field.
Sonam Tshering, Monggar
Edited by Sangay Chezom
