Surekha Yadav, a trailblazer in her field, has added yet another milestone to her illustrious career as Asia’s first female locomotive pilot. With over three decades of dedicated service, Yadav shared her aspiration to operate the prestigious Vande Bharat Express during a Women’s Day interview with TOI in 2021. Today, her dream has come to fruition as she takes charge of the high-speed train on the Mumbai-Pune-Solapur route, solidifying her position as a role model and inspiration to many aspiring women in the transportation industry.
Yadav has dedicated herself to rigorous training to prepare for her new role as the pilot of the train on the route. Her training included closely observing signals, gaining hands-on experience with the new equipment, coordinating with other crew members, and monitoring all the necessary parameters for safe and efficient train operation. With her career spanning over three decades, Yadav’s journey began as an assistant driver in 1989, steadily progressing to become a goods driver in 1996, and finally achieving the milestone of a motor woman in 2000.
In 2010, she earned her license as a ghat driver, and soon after, she was assigned to operate the Deccan Queen, a train that travels between the city and Pune, crossing through the challenging terrain of the Bhor Ghat. The Bhor Ghat is known to be one of the steepest and most demanding railway routes in the country, with a gradient of 1:37, meaning for every 37 meters of distance, there is a rise of one meter.
The railway company has made it a priority to empower and support its female workforce. In 2017, the Central Railway took a significant step towards this mission by appointing an all-female staff to manage the Matunga station, becoming the first railway station in the country to do so. Shortly after, the Western Railway followed suit by introducing an all-woman team at the Matunga Road station, aiming to promote gender equality and encourage more women to pursue careers in the transportation industry. As per officials of Indian Railways, there were around 1,500 woman locomotive pilots in the country.
Yadav’s academic journey started at St Paul Convent in Satara, where she completed her schooling. She then pursued a diploma in electrical engineering, setting her sights on a career in the railways. By applying for a job as a loco pilot, she not only broke gender stereotypes but also became a role model for women of all ages. Her journey inspired countless women to take up challenging jobs and break the barriers of societal norms.
“I am thankful to the Indian Railways for giving me the opportunity to pilot the new-age, state-of-the-art Vande Bharat Express train,” Yadav said.
Source: https://www.google.com/amp/s/m.timesofindia.com/city/mumbai/asias-first-woman-loco-pilot-now-runs-vande-bharat-express-on-mumbai-pune-solapur-section/amp_articleshow/98617763.cmsThe post Asia’s First Female loco pilot now runs Vande Bharat Express Train first appeared on Motoroids.