The Aatm Nirbhar Journey

I started riding a bicycle at the age of 3 around the ghats of Mathura. At eighteen, I rode a Royal Enfield in Ladakh. I never knew a world without wheels.

Then one day my mother, waiting for my father to take her places declared she was done rearranging her life around others’ schedules. At forty five, she wanted to ride a scooty. Teaching a woman who had never touched a bicycle was the hardest thing I had ever done.

When she learned, she told everyone she knew, “jab bhi main scooty chalati hoon, mujhe aisa lagta hai ki mere pankh lag gaye hain.” And with that a movement began.

Suddenly, I started questioning why no woman ever delivered my food or drove my cab. So, instead of going to ISB for my MBA, I came home to build Aatm Nirbhar.

Nine years later, thousands women ride on their own terms, living their own version of my mother’s dream.

As someone who grew up with wheels, have felt the weight of every woman around me who could not move on her own terms. I believe that only when a woman moves freely can she exercise true agency and unlock her full potential. And until every woman in this country has that freedom, our work is not done.

- PAWANI KHANDELWAL

Founder

The Aatm Nirbhar Journey

I started riding a bicycle at the age of 3 around the ghats of Mathura. At eighteen, I rode a Royal Enfield in Ladakh. I never knew a world without wheels.

When she learned, she told everyone she knew, “jab bhi main scooty chalati hoon, mujhe aisa lagta hai ki mere pankh lag gaye hain.” And with that a movement began.

Suddenly, I started questioning why no woman ever delivered my food or drove my cab. So, instead of going to ISB for my MBA, I came home to build Aatm Nirbhar.

Nine years later, thousands women ride on their own terms, living their own version of my mother’s dream.

my food or picking me up in a cab. The last mile platform economy was booming, but women were nowhere in it. So despite an admission to ISB, the biker in me chose to return to my roots and become part of the movement. People said I was wasting my education. But I knew with certainty this was the most important thing I could do with my life, because every time I moved freely I could feel the weight of every woman who couldn’t.

Nine years later, Aatm Nirbhar has put thirty thousand women on the roads across India, each one living their version of the dream my mother dared to have.

- PAWANI KHANDELWAL

WATCH OUR STORY

August, 2017

A CA Aspirant Empowered by Mobility. In August 2017, when Aatm Nirbhar began its journey, Surbhi Gupta became our very first learner. As a CA aspirant, she travelled long distances to attend coaching classes, often depending on her brother for a ride or walking alone to reach her destination. Determined to become independent, Surbhi enrolled with Aatm Nirbhar and learned to ride a scooty with confidence. What started as a simple commuting need became a life changing milestone. She no longer had to rely on anyone to pursue her education. Surbhi's journey reflects the purpose behind Aatm Nirbhar: empowering women with mobility, confidence, and the freedom to move forward on their own terms. Her first ride marked the beginning of our mission to help thousands of women become truly self reliant.

November, 2017

100 Trainings. Endless Possibilities. Within just three months of launching in November 2017, Aatm Nirbhar trained its first 100 women, proving the growing need for safe and accessible mobility training. This early momentum led to our expansion into Bharatpur, Rajasthan, and earned recognition from Startup India and YourStory, validating our mission to empower women through independence and mobility.

August, 2018

1,000 Rides Towards Independence. By August 2018, just one year after our launch, Aatm Nirbhar had empowered over 1,000 women with the confidence to ride independently. Driven by growing demand and proven impact, we expanded our presence to Agra, Aligarh, and Lucknow, taking our mission of women's mobility and independence to more communities across India.

February, 2020

A Movement Across Cities. By February 2020, just 30 months into our journey, Aatm Nirbhar had empowered over 5,000 women to ride with confidence and independence. Our impact expanded across multiple cities in Uttar Pradesh, with rapid growth in Jodhpur and Kanpur. Strategic partnerships with Rapido and Uber Eats further strengthened our mission, creating new opportunities for women through mobility and livelihood.

March, 2022

A Movement Gains Momentum By March 2022, Aatm Nirbhar reached the milestone of empowering over 10,000 women with the confidence to ride independently. This phase marked a new chapter of growth as we secured seed funding from IIM Calcutta and expanded our presence across the NCR, strengthening our mission to make mobility accessible to more women.

December, 2026

A Future Driven by Women. By 2026, Aatm Nirbhar crossed the milestone of empowering over 25,000 women with the confidence to ride independently. This chapter marked our expansion into Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Mumbai, while launching livelihood initiatives like Udaan with Urban Company, Scooter Rani with Swiggy and Scooty Didi, and Wings with Yes Madam. Backed by the Uttar Pradesh Government grant and strengthened through partnerships with Pratham Foundation, Piramal Fellowship, and L&T Finance's Pillion Rider to Rider campaign, we continued transforming mobility into opportunity for women across India.

Our Vision

A world where everything is within the reach of a woman.

Our Mission

To close the mobility and economic gap between where women are and where they could be, through the freedom to move and earn, ensuring no opportunity is ever out of her reach.