Chitra Driving School

We run this driving school out of Thirukazhukundram, which is on the outskirts of Chennai. Most of our days are spent out on the roads around here, teaching people how to handle a car without getting too nervous. It’s a practical business. We don't have a big fancy office because we're mostly in the driver's seat or waiting for students at the pickup spots. The traffic in the Chennai area is always something to talk about, so there’s never a shortage of situations to teach people how to manage. We’ve seen all kinds of students come through, from teenagers to older folks who finally decided it was time to learn. We keep our cars in good shape, but they aren't brand new luxury models—just reliable vehicles that are good for learning. We don't use any high-tech simulators or anything like that. We think the best way to learn is just by getting out there and doing it on real streets. Sometimes the weather gets really hot, and we just roll the windows down or turn up the AC and keep going. We don’t spend money on big ads. People in the neighborhood just know who we are by seeing our cars around. It’s a small, local operation and we like it that way. We just want to make sure everyone who comes to us leaves knowing how to drive safely on these busy streets.