“Driving wasn’t something I ever imagined for myself. Not because I couldn’t, but because no one around me ever thought I should. Once I sat behind the wheel, it felt like reclaiming a part of myself I had never known was missing,” says Anupreeti Ajit More (48), a home baker in Kolhapur.

Across India, women have always travelled. They have crossed cities and states, carried families across generations, and managed responsibilities that stretch far beyond any map.

Yet when it comes to driving, especially long-distance self-drive journeys, women have historically participated far less. This gap has less to do with ability and more with confidence, access, and the lack of spaces where women feel supported enough to explore freely. 

In recent years, that has begun to change. More women are stepping into the driver’s seat, not only for errands or school runs, but for independence. The road offers a sense of self that daily life rarely makes space for. 

At the centre of this shift is Embarq Motorworld, a self-drive experiential travel company that has spent over a decade helping women take charge of their journeys, both on the road and within.

Through Embarq, women sign up for self-drive road journeys where they are behind the wheel of their own cars, travelling in a guided convoy across cities, countries, and sometimes even continents. From handling permits and breakdowns to mapping unfamiliar terrain, the logistics are taken care of so that participants can focus on the experience of driving and discovering at their own pace. 

Two women, one vision

The story begins with Mumbai’s Sujal Patwardhan and Pune’s Medha Joseph, who first met in 1999 during their MBA at IMERT, Pune University. “We clicked instantly because we shared the same curiosity, the same urge to explore, and the belief that travel could change the way you see life,” says Medha, now 47.

Both grew up in families where travel was encouraged. “Even as children, we were pushed to venture out,” Sujal (47) tells The Better India. “Driving is about making your own choices and taking control of your journey.”

Their personal passion grew into something much larger in 2015, when they, along with a small group of friends, embarked on a 57-day self-drive expedition from Hyderabad to Morocco, covering three continents and over 23,000 kilometres. “There was no plan to start a company. We just wanted to see what it felt like to navigate the world on our own terms,” Medha admits.

The journey revealed a clear contrast. Self-drive adventures felt natural for many Europeans, but for most Indians, they remained daunting. “Back home, the thought of........

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