Meet woman, maths graduate who applied for government job three years ago, became Postwoman, is now going viral for..., her name is…

The Humans of Bombay LinkedIn page shared a post regarding the story of Akanksha Gaikwad, her journey of becoming a female postman. The post has won the hearts of thousands who have expressed happiness over the success of the Indian woman with a unique job, at least in today’s time. In India the term ‘dakwala’ invokes numerous emotions as they deliver them through posts containing millions of stories. We often image the ‘dakwala’ to be a man in his middle age or most often old age from the 1960s and 70s but in 2025 a woman becoming a postman and being proud is totally unimaginable.   

Akanksha Gaikwad, proud of being postwoman

“You see the coat, khaki bag, & this chitthi? - I'm a postman! Yes, we still exist! And yes, I'm a female postman!” Akanksha Gaikwad said in the post. Akanksha is a Mathematics graduate who said, while sharing her story, that she became a “postwoman” three years ago "but it wasn't something I planned on becoming,” she further said. Revealing how she got into such job, she said that her father asked her to get a government job, after which she filled the job application form at the India Post. “I thought it would be a desk job...but I was told, 'You're to deliver letters!' I was taken aback,” she said in the post.  

Akanksha said that out of 26 delivery "guys", she was the only girl. Initially, her parents were hesitant about the job. "They thought, 'Ab beti ghum ghum ke chitthi lejaygi?'" she said, adding that she was hesitant too about the job. "I also thought, 'Do people even write letters anymore?'"  

An inspiration

Within a month of joining, she found out what she thought was entirely different from her experience. “During my 1st month, I'd walk for hours, going from house to house, delivering these letters & through that process, I met the sweetest people. Once, an old aunty opened the door & was shocked when she saw me. She said, 'I never knew women deliver letters too!' She called me inside & gave me a glass of cold water! She even offered me food but I politely refused,” she said.  

Further, Akanksha shared “one of the best moments of her life”. “Once when I was coming back home after a tiring day at work, a young girl who lived close by came to me & said, ‘Didi, I want to be a postwoman too!’ I was so touched!” she wrote.