At an age when many people slow down, Kamla Negi started a new life, new job and took on one of the toughest jobs in the hills of Uttarakhand. She is 60-years-old and is repairing punctures in scooters and cars. Not only this, she is also handling the massive tyres of trucks, dumpers, buses and JCB machines. The woman belongs from Nainital’s Ramgarh region and has built a reputation for doing work traditionally associated with men. The lady is also famous as the ‘Tyre Doctor’ and ‘Iron Lady’. However behind these titles is a story of determination, partnership and a willingness to learn a skill that few women in her region have pursued.Negi comes from Odakhan village in the Ramgarh block of Nainital district. She has a repair shop which is situated along the Ramgarh–Mukteshwar road, a route frequented by local residents, tourists and commercial vehicles. For those travelling through this mountainous stretch, her shop has become an important stop.Meet Kamla NegiKamla’s journey into the world of vehicle repairs started back in 2004. She started with her modest business of renting bicycles to children. Whenever one of the bicycles developed a puncture, she would ask someone else to get it fixed. Then she decided to learn how to repair the tyres herself. And hence began her sojourn into male dominated business.It gradually became a livelihoodAs word spread about her ability to fix punctures, people began bringing their scooters and motorcycles to her. She learnt to handle increasingly complicated repairs and eventually moved on to the tyres of cars, trucks, buses, dumpers and JCB machines.As per a September 2026 report by Hindustan Samachar, her work has now expanded to cover vehicles ranging from bicycles and two-wheelers to heavy construction machinery.The transition was not simply about learning to fix bigger tyres. Heavy-vehicle tyres require considerable physical effort, patience and technical understanding. Kamla developed these skills through years of hands-on experience.
The Iron Lady
Her shop also offers basic servicing for motorcycles and cars. From replacing tyre, brake, clutch and accelerator cables to changing engine and gear oil, greasing and addressing minor mechanical problems, she has developed a range of practical skills that make her an important resource for motorists in the area.When the work matters more than people’s opinionsWhen Kamla started repairing vehicles, not everyone was happy. People didn’t like a woman working as a mechanic. Seeing a woman changing tyres was an unusual sight in the village, and she had to deal with taunts and comments from people who questioned her choice of profession.People would be surprised to see her repairing vehicles while dressed in a sari. But she, alongside her husband, Hayat Singh Negi, continued servicing.Her husband, who had earlier worked as a puncture repairman in Delhi, was familiar with the trade. After returning to the village, he started repairing tyres along the roadside to earn a living. What started as a way to support the family eventually became her own professional identity.Her story is also a perfect example of the fact that a skill does have a gender and does not always require formal training or a conventional classroom. Sometimes, it begins with observing someone at work, trying something independently and refusing to give up when the first few attempts are difficult.A lifeline for motorists on a mountain roadFor someone travelling through the winding mountain roads, a flat tyre can quickly turn into a difficult situation. Kamla’s shop offers them a place to get their vehicles repaired without having to travel all the way to a town. She has also made sure that people can reach her during emergencies. Her contact number is displayed near the shop.A woman who found her independence through hard workToday, Kamla is recognised not merely for repairing punctures but for challenging an assumption that certain professions are meant only for men. Her story has attracted attention on social media, where she is also known as ‘Iron Lady of Nainital’.There is something particularly inspiring about the way her journey unfolded. She did not begin with a big workshop, formal technical qualifications or a plan to become an example for other women. She simply saw a problem, decided to find a solution and kept learning as opportunities came her way.From fixing a bicycle tyre to handling the heavy tyres of a JCB, Kamla has spent years proving her capabilities through her work. And perhaps that is what makes her story worth telling: she did not wait for people to change their perception of what a woman could do. She got to work and let her skills speak for themselves.
