Meet Jilumol Mariet Thomas of Kerala, the first Asian woman to get a driver’s license without using an arm

Jilumol Mariet Thomas exemplifies the unbounded passion and drive that have these attributes. The 32-year-old Keralan lady is the first Asian woman to get a driver’s license without having arms. Jilumol accelerates her life by skillfully driving with her feet. She eventually received her license in 2023 after a grueling six years of waiting, directly from Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan at Palakkad.

Thomas had a congenital condition that left him without arms at birth. She succeeded because of her bravery and willpower to be able to drive alone. They made her automobile more accessible with the aid of a Kochi-based private enterprise and the State Commission for Persons with Disabilities.

Apparently, Jilumol Mariet Thomas had wanted to be an independent woman and had always dreamed of owning a vehicle. She went to the Thodupuzha RTO in the Idukki district to get a driving license after learning to drive at the Mariya Driving School in Vaduthala. She firmly petitioned the Kerala High Court when the RTO officers denied her plea.

Following the court’s intervention, Thomas drove the modified vehicle in front of MVD inspectors after passing a test. But once again, the authorities turned down her request for a driver’s license. At last, she made contact with the State Commission on Disability. The first armless individual to get a driver’s license in India was Vikram Agnihotri from Indore, whose example was used by the commission.

She was able to get the license this year after that. Thomas told news agency IANS, “Mobility was my biggest handicap and now I am happy that I got the license and thus overcome my biggest obstacle.” Many people find encouragement in her will to seek the license at whatever cost and to persevere after such a long period of time.