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This woman from Mangaluru runs a thriving ambulance network and has become an inspiration across Karnataka.
News18
When tragedy struck CS Radhika’s life in 2002, no one could have imagined that the grieving housewife from Mangaluru would one day run a fleet of ambulances across multiple states. Widowed just 30 years old after her husband died of liver cancer, Radhika turned her pain into purpose by taking over the ambulance she once drove and turning it into a successful emergency services company.
Today, Radhika runs the Cauvery Ambulance Service, which reportedly runs 12 ambulances and provides emergency transport services across Karnataka and beyond.
But at the time, her situation was far from hopeful. Suresh, Radhika’s husband, was the sole breadwinner for the family before he died of cancer after a two-year battle. Radhika was educated only up to class six, and then was suddenly left alone to raise her two daughters, Bhumika and Bhargavi, who were only seven and four years old at the time. But amid the grief, one thing remained with her: the ambulance her husband was driving.
Speaking about her unexpected journey, Radhika said she learned to drive “purely out of interest” while watching her husband work. This skill eventually became her lifeline.
“I never thought that an ambulance would help me earn my family’s income,” she told The News Minute.
Encouraged by family friends and armed with determination, she obtained a driving license and restarted the ambulance service. Her previous experience working as an assistant in a hospital in Putor also helped her understand first aid and emergency care, which made the locals trust her abilities.
Soon the calls started pouring in.
Be it transporting patients to hospitals, transporting bodies across states, or handling late night emergency calls, Radhika did it all. She often traveled hundreds of kilometers, sometimes leaving her daughters with relatives while she worked through the night.
“I meet all kinds of requirements,” she said, including interstate transportation and morgue services.
What started with a single ambulance gradually developed into a full service. Radhika took out loans, added more vehicles, hired drivers, and steadily expanded operations over the years. She helps her daughters, who are now grown, run the business while they continue their careers and education.
Radhika’s relentless spirit has also earned her recognition, including the Mangaluru Press Club Award for Community Service.
In a world where many collapse under the weight of personal loss, Radhika chooses to literally venture into it. In doing so, she not only rebuilt her life but also became a symbol of resilience for countless women across India.
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