Surekha Yadav is an Indian train driver best known as Asia’s first woman loco pilot. In 2023, she became the first woman to pilot the semi-high-speed train Vande Bharat Express.
Contents
Wiki/Biography
Surekha Yadav was born on Thursday, 2 September 1965 (age 57 years; as in 2022) in Satara, Maharashtra. She did her schooling from St. Paul’s Convent School, Satara, Maharashtra. Soon after completing his higher secondary education, he took vocational training and later did a Diploma in Electrical Engineering from Government Polytechnic, Karad, Satara, Maharashtra.
Physical Appearance
Height (Approx): 5′ 3″
Hair Color: Black
Eye colour: black
Family
parents and siblings
Surekha Yadav’s father Ramchandra Bhosale was a farmer. Surekha’s mother’s name is Sonabai. He has four siblings; Surekha is the eldest among them.
husband and children
In 1990, Surekha Yadav was married to Shankar Yadav, a police inspector in the Maharashtra government. The couple have two sons, Ajinkya and Ajitesh, who are engineering students at Mumbai University. While talking about her husband Shankar Yadav in an interview, Surekha said,
Yes, my husband supported me throughout my career. He is one of the main reasons why I have been able to reach where I am today. It becomes easier if your family supports your career choices. First of all, you need to figure out what you want to do in life and stick to it with hard work and dedication. Seeing your passion and determination, your family is bound to support you eventually.
livelihood
Soon after completing her Diploma in Mechanical Engineering, Surekha was looking for a full-time job opportunity and found an Assistant Driver job vacancy in the Indian Railways. Later, she appeared for written examination and interview at Railway Recruitment Board, Mumbai and got selected. He talked about this in an interview and said,
This is the most ordinary story you have ever heard. I had just completed my diploma in electrical engineering. Like most other students, I was also looking for a full-time employment opportunity. News spread that there is a vacancy for an Assistant Driver in Indian Railways and the requirement of ‘Diploma in any Faculty’ is welcome to apply.”
A newspaper clipping published on 1 April 1986 showing a job vacancy in the Indian Railways
In 1986, she joined Indian Railways as a Trainee Assistant Driver at Kalyan Training School, Mumbai; He trained for six months. In 1989, he started working as a regular assistant driver for a freight train. The first local goods train he drove was numbered L-50, which ran between Wadi Bunder and Kalyan, Maharashtra; He was assigned the task of checking the working condition of the train’s engine and signals. In 1996, he was appointed as a goods train driver. He worked as a goods train driver from 1996–2009. In 2010, she became a wharf driver on the Western Ghats Railway line. In 2021, on the occasion of Women’s Day, she was tasked to run a special train from Mumbai to Lucknow with an all-women crew. In 2023, she became the first woman to operate the Solapur-CSMT Vande Bharat Express train.
Vande Bharat – powered by women power.
Surekha Yadav, the first woman loco pilot of Smt. Vande Bharat Express. pic.twitter.com/MqVjpgm4EO
– Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) 13 March 2023
award
- In 1998, he was awarded the Jijau Award (1998).
- In 2001, she was honored with the Women Achievers Award by the Lion Club.
- In 2001, she was honored by the National Commission for Women in New Delhi.
- In 2002, she was awarded the Lokmat Sakhi Award.
- In 2004 he was awarded the Sahyadri Hirakani Award.
- He received the Prerna Award in 2005.
- In 2011, she was awarded the GM Award for being the first woman loco pilot in the Indian Railways.
- In 2011, she was honored with the Women Achievers Award by Central Railways.
- In 2013, she was awarded the RWCC Best Woman Award.
- In 2018, President Ram Nath Kovind honored Surekha with the First Lady Award at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi.
Surekha honored with First Lady Award at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi
Facts/General Knowledge
- According to Surekha Yadav, initially she never thought of making a career as a loco pilot. She wanted to pursue further education in mathematics, obtain a B.Ed degree, and become a teacher; However, after getting a job in Indian Railways, he decided to pursue a career in Railways.
- In an interview, Surekha said that she was inspired by the courage and bravery of Rani Laxmibai of Jhansi since her childhood.
- On International Women’s Day in 2011, she was named Asia’s first woman train driver, driving the Deccan Queen from Pune to CST; The rail route from Pune to Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) is considered to be one of the most difficult rail routes.
- During an interview, Surekha shared a moment when she felt proud to be a woman. He said,
The first time, when I drove a train as a driver, that would be the moment I felt proud to be a woman.
- In 1991, Surekha was featured in the television show Hum Bhi Kisi Se Kum Nahin.
- According to Surekha, her most memorable train journey as a loco pilot was in 2018, when she drove a passenger train from Mumbai to Pune. He talked about this in an interview and said,
In 2018, I drove a passenger train from Mumbai to Pune. That would be my most memorable journey, because I took the train through many difficult turns and the entire route was beautiful. There were completely female employees in that train also.
Categories: Biography
Source: vcmp.edu.vn