India’s first train driver on the ignition ground

“The machines do not see sex; they see your strength,” explains Surekha Yadav, who has been leading Indian trains for more than three decades.

Earlier this week, Ms. Yadav said goodbye to her work after 36 years of service, retiring as the first train driver in India.

Over the years, it has exploited a variety of trains over the entire length and magnitude of India, sometimes sailing on difficult terrain and difficult weather conditions.

Today, there are more than 2,000 train operators in Indian railways, but Ms. Yadav took work at a time when it was rare for women to explore this profession.

Born in 1965 in a small town in western Maharashtra in India, Ms. Yadav comes from an agricultural family and is the eldest of five brothers and sisters.

From a young age, she was exposed to hard work, helping her family at the farm while studying.

Her parents have always encouraged her to study first, she said.

“Although my parents came from a modest background, they were progressive in their thoughts. They educated me and that allowed me to work.”

After completing her studies as an electrician engineer, Ms. Yadav immediately started looking for a job. She spotted an advertisement in the newspapers by Indian railways, looking for assistant train drivers and seized the opportunity.

At the time, she did not know that there were no women’s train operators in the country. She simply saw work as a way to win an income.

Government jobs are very coveted in India due to the security and advantages they offer. But selecting for one is difficult because thousands of candidates from all over the country are competing for a single vacancy.

Ms. Yadav released the selection process with flying colors and obtained her first job on a freight train in 1989.

It was only when she started to train that she realized that the profession was incredibly dominated by men.

She remembers the first day she trained. Although she did not expect many students, she was taken aback when she saw that there was not a single girl in her class.

“I was wondering what to do. But I thought, if I do not take the work, someone else will do it. Since I was selected, I will do it,” she said.

Ms. Yadav knew she had made a difficult choice and that the work she had chosen was going to be exhausting. But she didn’t look back.

The first years were difficult, to say the least.

Lots of learning has occurred at work, because there is no book that teaches you to be a good train driver, says Ms. Yadav.

Train operators use several surveillance systems to supervise different aspects of the trip, including routes and speed. They must be alert at any time and make quick decisions to avoid accidents and ensure passenger safety.

Thousands of trains travel the sprawling rail network of India every day, carrying millions of passengers to their destinations. India trains are often called the country’s rescue buoy due to the extent of their network and their affordable.

Ms. Yadav says that she learned the art of interpreting clues, anticipating problems and reacting in real time to avoid crises.

In 1996, she was promoted to the locomotive pilot – the main operator of the train control room or the “nervous center” of the train.

Unpredictable working hours due to unforeseen delays and accidents were one of the most difficult challenges of work.

Come rain or shine, she had to go to the duty. Unpredictable meals and the lack of toilet facilities or changing rooms for women in some trains have added to the challenges.

Ms. Yadav says that she has exploited trains on flooded tracks, through passes and on trips of several days.

She worked for two pregnancies and raised her children while continuing to work.

The nature of her work, she said, did not allow her to miss her children when she had to be far from them.

“You have to look at the signal, track, air equipment, listen to your colleague and keep your eyes on speed – all at the same time. How could I think of my children?” Said Ms. Yadav. “If your mind drifts even for 30 seconds, even a microsecond, it can be dangerous for everyone on the train.”

She remembers having to miss several celebrations and outings of the family because of her work. But the support of family colleagues and men helped her face.

“My colleagues were great. They never made me feel that I was different because I was a woman. Others could have thought, but not my colleagues,” she said.

During her long career, Ms. Yadav also had the opportunity to insert the aspiring train operators, including many women.

His hope is that his career will serve as inspiration for others.

On the last day, Ms. Yadav led Rajdhani Express – one of the long -distance trains in India. At the terminal station of the financial capital of India, Mumbai, she said goodbye to her colleagues, with drums and dance shows.

“I never imagined that I would drive the trains until I become 60 years old,” said Ms. Yadav.

When asked what she would miss most about her work, she said it is the indicator signals.

These tiny managers have always helped her find the way.

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