US Women Diplomats Drive Personalised Auto-Rickshaws To Discover Delhi

Four US women diplomats are setting a unique example on the streets of Delhi. The four have ditched with bullet-proof cars to ride in "personalized auto-rickshaws" tuned to their "out-of-the-box" diplomacy style.

Ann Mason, Ruth Holmberg, Shareen J Kitterman and Jennifer Bywaters bought three-wheelers to experience the capital in all its glory. They have taken this quintessential mode of public transport and turned it into a personal vehicle of choice. They now love to go take their black and pink three-wheelers by driving themselves for all their work including the 'official trips'.

US Women Diplomats in Delhi

Anne and Ruth own black-coloured autos while Sherin, born in the south Indian state of Karnataka and holding a US citizenship loves to flaunt her pink auto-rickshaw, reports Manorama.

"From Detroit to my auto rickshaw, I've had a lifelong love of vehicles and so everywhere I've been there's been something special about a vehicle but really none more special in my opinion than an autorickshaw. When I was in Pakistan, before coming to India, I was in armoured vehicles and they were big, beautiful vehicles. But I would always look out on the street and I would see the autorickshaws going by and I always wanted to be one. So when I got to India and had the opportunity to buy one, I took it immediately," said Ann L Mason to Asian News International.

Anne's personalised black autorickshaw has a Bluetooth device and a curtain printed with the image of a tiger. She has also nicknamed it KITT, in homage to the 1980s show Knight Rider.

Mexican Ambassador Melba Pria was the one who started the trend when she made a white-coloured rick her official vehicle.

Ruth says she fully knows the ‘diplomacy’ of owning an auto and the psychology while riding it. "I meet people every day. On my way from my work, going to the market. I know the vendors in my area, and I know people in the market .. they are all excited to see me at the market with the auto," she adds.

Watch the video ">here.

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