Breaking Barriers: Meet Surekha Yadav, First Female Vande Bharat Loco Pilot

Surekha Yadav, Asia's first woman loco pilot, made history by being the first female to operate the newly-introduced semi-high speed Vande Bharat Express train according to Central Railway.

On Monday (13 Mar 2023), she piloted the semi-high-speed train from Solapur station to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus in Mumbai.

Ms. Yadav's train left Solapur station on March 13 and arrived at CSMT five minutes early, according to Central Railway. She was honored on platform 8 after the 450-km journey was completed.

"Vande Bharat powered by Nari Shakti. Smt. Surekha Yadav, 1st woman loco pilot of Vande Bharat Express," tweeted Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav.

Ms. Yadav, from Satara in Maharashtra, became India's first female train driver in 1988. She has received various state and national awards for her accomplishments.

Central Railway launched two Vande Bharat Express trains on CSMT-Solapur and CSMT-Sainagar Shirdi routes, with PM Modi inaugurating them.

New railway routes require loco pilots to undergo thorough training and remain vigilant throughout the entire journey, according to railway officials.

According to the release, crew members learn by observing signals, using new equipment, coordinating with each other and following all train operation parameters.