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Naaji Noushi (Najira Noushad): The Mother of 5 Who Drives Solo Across the World in a Mahindra Thar
In most Indian households, a mother of five is expected to stay home. To cook, to manage, to wait. Society has drawn a clear picture of what her life should look like — and the open road is not part of that picture.
Naaji Noushi tore up that picture and drove away.
Naaji Noushi (Solo mom traveller) is a 35-year-old homemaker from Kannur, Kerala, who has driven solo across India and the world — from deserts and mountain passes to international borders and conflict zones — all in her beloved Mahindra Thar named Olu, which means “woman” in local slang.
She is not a professional athlete. She is not a celebrity with a team behind her. She is a wife, a mother, a homemaker — and one of the most fearless solo travellers India has ever seen. Her story is not just about places. It is about permission — the kind you give yourself when you stop waiting for the world to approve.
Naaji Noushi — Personal Profile Table
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Najira Noushad |
| Popular Name | Naaji Noushi |
| Age (2025–2026) | ~35 years old |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Birthplace | Kannur / Thalassery, Kerala, India |
| Current residence | Mahe, Kerala (previously Oman) |
| Profession | Solo Traveller, YouTuber, Content Creator, Homemaker |
| Known For | Solo road journeys across India and Middle East countries in a Mahindra Thar |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Husband | Noushad (works in Abu Dhabi) |
| Children | 5 children |
| Religion | Islam (Malabar Muslim background) |
| @naajinoushi_solo_momtraveller | |
| Wikipedia | No official page available |
Early Life and Background: A Dream Raised in Malabar
Najira Noushad grew up in the northern Kerala region of Malabar, known for its deeply rooted traditions, warmth, and love of football.
The Kerala-born was raised in God’s Own Country by a salesman father and a homemaker mother. Coming from a humble background, Najira lived a simple yet happy life, passionate about travelling even as a child.
Noushi completed her Plus-Two and married Noushad, an NRK (Non-Resident Keralite), at a young age, becoming a mother at the age of 19.
That is the part of her story that makes the rest of it so extraordinary. She married young. She became a mother young. She did everything society expected of her — and then, quietly, she began doing the things society never imagined for her.
Her fascination with history, Indian architecture, and diverse cultures never died. It waited — patiently — until she was ready to follow it.
Journey into Solo Travel: How It All Started
Naaji’s travel story didn’t begin with a dramatic announcement or a sponsored trip. It began with curiosity and a decision to simply start.
Naaji started her solo journey in 2020 by undertaking an all-Kerala trip covering most parts of the state. “Then I realised that I have a strong passion for travel and driving fascinates me,” she said.
That Kerala trip was the spark. What followed was a wildfire.
Following the Kerala journey, she drove across almost all the states and five union territories of India except the Northeastern states, covering 13,000 kilometres. “It was exhilarating,” she says, adding that she was mindful of every move she made.
She didn’t stop at India’s borders. Naaji set a world record as the first woman to reach Everest Base Camp in Nepal in just five days in 2022. Her Sherpa had doubted she could make it. She proved him wrong.
Doing the trek without an acclimatisation period was a challenge, but Najira pulled it off. “After two days, I developed shortness of breath and suffered from exhaustion. If not for that, I’d have completed the trek in four days. Despite the difficulties, it was a great experience. It made me realise I can do anything,” she adds.
Each journey made the next one feel possible.
Travel Experience and Lifestyle: The Road as a Classroom
Naaji Noushi’s travel philosophy is rooted in connection — with people, with cultures, with herself.
She explored all ten islands of Lakshadweep without spending a single penny, relying entirely on the kindness of the people she met. “The people of Lakshadweep are not only kind-hearted but masoom (innocent). There is no crime rate, and their prisons are empty. That’s a part of India that everyone should see,” she says.
Her most iconic vehicle is her Mahindra Thar, affectionately nicknamed Olu. Naaji has equipped her vehicle with a kitchen, a stove, and a gas cylinder — making it both her transport and her home on the road.
In Kuwait, she travelled to several historical places like Failaka Island, Kuwait Towers, deserts, souks, farmhouses, horse-riding centres, and diwaniyas. “I need to meet people, get to know different cultures and the fascinating traditions of Kuwait,” she told Kuwait Times.
Her 2022 trip to watch the FIFA World Cup in Qatar became a turning point in her public profile. She drove a Mahindra Thar from Kerala, reaching Mumbai via Coimbatore, then shipped the vehicle to Oman and drove through the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia before reaching Qatar — all to watch Argentina and her favourite player, Lionel Messi. “It was a dream come true for me to watch my favourite team Argentina play at the World Cup,” she said.
Industrialist Anand Mahindra took notice and shared a video of her on Twitter, writing: “I salute Naaji Noushi and her intrepid spirit of adventure.”
Social Media Presence: Building an Audience One Road at a Time
Naaji Noushi’s social media presence grew organically — not through marketing strategies, but through genuine, unfiltered storytelling.
Her Instagram handle is @naajinoushi_solo_momtraveller, where she shares reels and photographs from her road journeys across India and the Middle East. Her feed is a visual diary of dusty highways, desert sunsets, mountain passes, and warm local faces.
Her YouTube channel carries the same spirit — long-form vlogs that take viewers into the daily reality of solo travel as a mother. The World Cup exposure catapulted Naaji to a social media figure and she has garnered a huge following on her YouTube channel.
What makes her content stand out is its honesty. She doesn’t glamorise travel. She shows the flat tyres, the wrong turns, the language barriers, and the moments of self-doubt — alongside the joy and the freedom.
For more on her story, Times Kuwait covered her journey in detail when she completed her 10th country road trip in Kuwait.
Challenges and Struggles: The Price of Choosing Yourself
Naaji Noushi’s journey has not been without cost. The hardest battles have not been on mountain passes or desert roads — they have been fought in drawing rooms and neighbourhood conversations back home.
“While I go travelling, my husband is the one who faces societal judgments every day. He has been kind to support and understand my wishes and travel journey,” she shares openly.
The questions are always the same: Why does she leave her children? Who is looking after her family? Why does her husband allow this?
Her husband’s response to that last question is now widely quoted. “A lot of people ask me why I let my wife embark on solo travel. Who am I to grant her permission? It is her life, and she has complete freedom to choose what she wants to do,” he says firmly.
Safety is another challenge that follows every solo female traveller. “There’s so much negativity about the safety of solo female travellers. So I decided to ditch public transport and hitchhike all the way to prove the point that India is safe for women travellers,” she explains about her Kerala-to-Nepal journey.
She also rode through extremely risky terrain in Manipur when the region witnessed unprecedented ethnic clashes between Meitei and Kuki communities. “It was an unforgettable experience for me to learn firsthand about the harrowing impact of ethnic violence,” she recalled.
Adventure and danger, for Naaji, are not reasons to stay home. They are reasons to go.
Personal Life: The Family Behind the Fearless Traveller
Behind every great solo traveller is a support system — and Naaji’s is extraordinary.
Her husband Noushad, currently working in Abu Dhabi, is her biggest champion. “As someone who loves Naaji, I get worried when she travels to certain places. But I know she is a strong, independent woman who can cruise through hardships,” he shares.
“My husband changed my life. It was he who taught me how to drive a car,” Naaji acknowledges. “To be honest, Naaji is a better driver than I. When we go on road trips, I happily take the passenger seat because I am confident in her driving skills,” Noushad adds warmly.
Her mother, Maimoona, takes care of her five children when she travels, and her in-laws are equally supportive. “My mother and husband have been my pillar of support because they take care of the children,” shares Naaji.
Naaji’s five children have learned to be understanding and independent. “It is not difficult to take care of my children, and society should stop looking at it from a gendered lens,” Noushad adds.
This is a family that has chosen, together, to redefine what family looks like.
Major Achievements: A List That Keeps Growing
- Set a world record as the first woman to reach Everest Base Camp in five days (2022)
- Completed an all-India road trip across 17 states and 5 union territories (13,000 km)
- Drove solo from Kerala to Qatar to watch the FIFA World Cup 2022
- Completed road journeys through 10 countries including UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Nepal, Bhutan, Iraq, and more
- Explored all 10 islands of Lakshadweep in 30 days — on a ₹3,000 budget
- Received a public shoutout from Anand Mahindra, chairman of the Mahindra Group
- Featured in major outlets including The Better India, Kuwait Times, The National, Outlook India, and more
- Flagged off her FIFA World Cup journey by Kerala’s Transport Minister Antony Raju
Net Worth: Travelling Rich in Every Sense
Naaji Noushi’s exact net worth is not publicly disclosed. Her income streams include YouTube ad revenue, Instagram brand collaborations, and sponsorships from travel and automotive brands — most notably her association with the Mahindra Thar.
“You don’t need money to travel, all you need is an idea,” she says — having once explored Lakshadweep for a full month without spending a single rupee of her own.
Her wealth is best measured not in money but in miles — and the millions of people she has inspired along the way.
Interesting Facts About Naaji Noushi
- Her Mahindra Thar is affectionately named Olu, meaning “woman” in local Malabar slang
- She became a mother for the first time at just 19 years old
- She reached Everest Base Camp in 5 days — faster than most trekkers who have spent months preparing
- She explored all 10 islands of Lakshadweep without spending a single paisa of her own money
- She drove to Qatar for the 2022 FIFA World Cup — reportedly the first woman from Kerala to make the GCC overland trip for the World Cup
- Her vehicle is equipped with a kitchen, stove, and gas cylinder — making it a mobile home
- She communicates across language barriers through love and care: “I believe that to communicate with people, we need love and care first, more than the medium,” she says
- She has driven through active conflict zones, including the Manipur ethnic unrest area
- She has completed road journeys to 10+ countries, with plans to extend to 15 countries including Afghanistan and China
- She was raised in a traditional Malabar Muslim family and identifies openly with her faith and roots
Why Naaji Noushi Is Famous
Naaji Noushi’s fame is not manufactured. It is earned — one difficult kilometre at a time.
In many Indian homes, a mother is expected to put her dreams on hold — to stay back, adjust, and prioritise everyone but herself. And when there are five children, society rarely imagines anything different.
Naaji imagined it differently. And then she did it.
She represents something that both India and the Middle East desperately need to see more of: a Muslim mother from Kerala, rooted in her faith and her family, choosing adventure without abandoning either. Her fame is inseparable from the message she carries: that the world is safe to explore, that mothers are not done dreaming, and that permission is not something you wait for.
“If a woman like me — a homemaker, a wife and a mother of five — can realise my dreams, any ordinary woman in Kerala can chase her dreams confidently,” she says.
Influence on Women and the Travel Community
Naaji Noushi has become a quiet revolution in Indian travel culture.
For women across India and the Gulf diaspora, she has redrawn the boundary of what is possible. Her audience is largely female — women who watch her vlogs not just for travel tips, but for something harder to find: proof that a life like hers is actually achievable.
Her impact is especially profound in the Gulf and Middle East, where millions of Indian expatriate families live. She is known for her road trips from India to various countries in the Middle East, gaining a significant following by sharing her travel experiences and adventures with her audience.
In a region where Indian women are often confined to the domestic sphere, her story travels fast — shared between friends, in WhatsApp groups, in family conversations about what women can do when given space to try.
She is also changing how India is perceived globally. By driving through conflict zones and remote regions and emerging with stories of extraordinary human kindness, she is making a quiet argument: that the world is more welcoming than it is frightening.
Frequently Asked Questions About Naaji Noushi
Who is Naaji Noushi?
Naaji Noushi is a 35-year-old homemaker from Kannur, Kerala, who is solo travelling the world in her Mahindra Thar, proving that adventure has no age or limits — even for a mother of five.
What is Naaji Noushi’s age?
As of 2025–2026, Naaji Noushi is approximately 35 years old.
Is Naaji Noushi married?
Yes. Naaji is married to Noushad, who currently works in Abu Dhabi. He is one of her strongest supporters and taught her how to drive.
How many kids does Naaji Noushi have?
Naaji Noushi is the mother of five children. Her youngest child was just two years old at the time of her FIFA World Cup trip, and her mother takes care of them when she travels.
What is Naaji Noushi’s religion?
Naaji Noushi is a Muslim. She was raised in a traditional Malabar Muslim family in Kannur, Kerala, and openly identifies with her faith throughout her travels.
What is Naaji Noushi’s Instagram?
Her Instagram handle is @naajinoushi_solo_momtraveller, where she shares reels and photos from her solo road journeys.
Why is Naaji Noushi famous?
Naaji is famous for her extraordinary solo road journeys across India and the Middle East in a Mahindra Thar — all as a mother of five. She holds a world record for reaching Everest Base Camp in five days, drove solo to the Qatar FIFA World Cup, and has completed road trips across 10+ countries.
Conclusion: The Road She Paved for Every Woman Watching
Naaji Noushi is not just a traveller. She is a proof of concept.
Proof that motherhood is not the end of adventure. That a traditional upbringing does not have to mean a closed horizon. That a Mahindra Thar named Olu can carry not just one woman, but the quiet hopes of millions who are watching and thinking, maybe I can too.
“Travel will teach you many things, especially if it is a solo journey. It will calm your mind. It will make you self-sufficient and prepare you to face challenges in life,” she says — and every kilometre she has covered is evidence of exactly that.
To every woman in India and across the Gulf who has been told to wait, to adjust, to stay small — Naaji Noushi’s story whispers a different truth from every mountain pass and desert highway she’s crossed:
The road is yours. You just have to start.
