“Machines don’t see gender; they see your strength,” says Surekha Yadav, who has been driving India’s trains for over three decades.

Earlier this week, Ms Yadav bade farewell to her job after 36 years of service, retiring as India’s first female train driver.

Over the years, she has operated a variety of trains across the length and breadth of India, sometimes navigating challenging terrain and harsh weather conditions.

Today, there are more than 2,000 female train operators in the Indian Railways, but Ms Yadav took up the job at a time when it was uncommon for women to explore this profession.

Born in 1965 in a small town in India’s western Maharashtra state, Ms Yadav comes from a farming family and is the eldest of five siblings.

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

Her parents always encouraged her to put her studies first, she says.

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

After finishing her education as an electrical engineer, Ms Yadav immediately began looking for a job. She randomly spotted a newspaper advertisement by the Indian railways, looking for assistant train drivers, and grabbed the opportunity.

At the time, she wasn’t aware that there were no female train operators in the country. She simply saw the job as a means to earn an income.

Government jobs are highly coveted in India because of the security and perks they offer. But getting selected for one is tough, as thousands of applicants from all over the country compete for a single vacancy.

Ms Yadav cleared the selection process with flying colours, and got her first job on a goods train in 1989.

It was only when she began training for it that she realised the profession was incredibly male-dominated.

She recollects the first day she went in for training. While she didn’t expect many female students, she was taken aback when she saw there wasn’t a single girl in her class.

“I wondered what to do. But I thought, if I don’t take up the job, someone else will. Since I’ve been selected, I’ll do it,” she says.

Ms Yadav knew she had made a tough choice and that the job she had chosen was going to be gruelling. But she didn’t look back.

The initial years were challenging, to say the least.

A lot of learning happened on the job, as there is no book that teaches you to be a good train driver, Ms Yadav says.

Train operators use multiple monitoring systems to oversee different aspects of the journey, including routes and speed. They have to be alert at all times and make quick decisions to prevent accidents and ensure passenger safety.

Thousands of trains criss-cross India’s sprawling railway network each day, ferrying millions of passengers to their destinations. India’s trains are often called the lifeline of the country because of the expanse of their network and how affordable they are.

Ms Yadav says she learnt the art of interpreting cues, anticipating problems and reacting in real time to avert crises.

In 1996, she was promoted to the post of locomotive pilot – the main operator of the train’s control room, or the “nerve centre” of the train.

The unpredictable work hours, due to unforeseen delays and accidents, was one of the toughest challenges of the job.

Come rain or shine, she had to show up for duty. Unpredictable meal times and lack of washroom facilities or changing rooms for women on some trains added to the challenges.

Ms Yadav says she has operated trains on flooded tracks, across mountain passes and on multiple-day journeys.

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

The nature of her job, she says, didn’t allow her to miss her children when she had to be away from them.

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

She recalls having to miss several family celebrations and outings because of her job. But support from family and male colleagues helped her cope.

“My co-workers were great. They never made me feel like I was different because I was a woman. Others might have thought that, but not my colleagues,” she says.

In her long career, Ms Yadav also got the opportunity to mentor aspiring train operators, many of them women.

Her hope is that her career will serve as an inspiration to others.

On her last day, Ms Yadav drove the Rajdhani Express – one of India’s premium long-distance trains. At the terminal station in India’s financial capital Mumbai she was given a grand farewell by her colleagues, complete with beating drums and dance performances.

“I never imagined I’d drive trains till I became 60,” Ms Yadav says.

When asked what she’ll miss most about her job, she said it’s the flashing signals.

Those tiny guiding lights always helped her find the way.

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