NASHIK: In the special ‘Navdurga’ program, our third guest for the series was Miss Pritu Jain, a petrol pump owner, is someone who fought all the obstacles single-handedly. She is an inspiration for all the young girls wanting to pursue their dreams.
Jain handles her Om Service Station on Trimbak Road and looks after the complete functioning of the pump. However, her journey hasn’t been any less than a roller coaster ride. She started handling the pump due to the unfortunate demise of her father and brother.
When she started working, she was clueless about the functioning and customer services. However, her colleagues motivated her to believe in herself and take over the business. Since then, there has been no turning back in her life.
In her initial days, she encountered several bizarre incidents where someone questioned her services while others alleged adulteration in her pump’s fuel. Some people tried to bring her down and disrespected her. Many challenged her as they thought being a woman, she can’t fight them. However, Jain stated that these incidents helped her fight through the storms and reach the shore.
Be it the sales officer or any other staff member, everyone helped her learn the business technicalities from scratch. During tough times, she reminds herself of her father’s sayings that one should keep fighting and never give up in life. Now, she stands strong as a fierce lady, ready to take up any challenge and fight it with utmost confidence and inner strength.
Calling it a male-dominated field, she said she got a lot of support from the dealers in her line. They stood strong with her during the tough times, and even though she’s the only female in her field, they made her feel extremely comfortable.
At times she had to deal with alcoholics arguing at her petrol pump or creating unnecessary troubles. She never let her guard down and faced each one of them fearlessly. She believes in treating everyone with dignity and respect. According to Jain, people are facing many problems in their lives.
Just greeting the customers or asking about their day makes a huge difference and lightens up their mood. She has always taught her staff to treat everyone with respect and help each customer. When customers visit her pump, they feel a sense of comfort due to the aura of the pump.
To learn the work and plight of staff members, she stood at the filling station and even collected cash from the customers. On being questioned by staff members, she proudly says that this is her work, and she’s not ashamed of it. Her business has turned her into a bold personality, and she has developed a positive mindset towards life.
For all the young girls out there, she wants them to fight for their rights and pursue their career of choice. Jain even appealed to parents and stated that parents should treat their sons and daughters equally. If their son is receiving quality education, so should their daughters. To conclude, she said the world needs love and peace, and as humans, we should keep spreading love and take care of each other.
