Surekha Yadav becomes first female to operate India's Vande Bharat Express

Asia's first woman loco pilot Surekha Yadav has added another feather to her cap as she became the first female to operate the newly-introduced semi-high speed Vande Bharat Express train, the Central Railway said.

She piloted the semi-high speed train between Solapur station and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) in Mumbai on Monday.

The train departed Solapur station at right time on March 13 and reached CSMT five minutes before the scheduled arrival, a Central Railway release said, adding that on completion of a more than 450-km long journey, Yadav was felicitated at platform number 8 at CSMT.

Vande Bharat – powered by Nari Shakti. Smt. Surekha Yadav, the first woman loco pilot of Vande Bharat Express, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav tweeted.

The Central Railway said, Yadav notched another feather in Central Railway's cap by becoming the first woman loco pilot of Vande Bharat Express.

Salute to #Narishakti!

Smt. Surekha Yadav, Loco Pilot cruising the first female driven Vande Bharat train from CSMT, Mumbai to Solapur through the steepest Bhor Ghat between Mumbai & Pune in Maharashtra. pic.twitter.com/WWKiUIXYrx

— Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) March 15, 2023

Vande Bharat - powered by Nari Shakti.

Smt. Surekha Yadav, the first woman loco pilot of Vande Bharat Express. pic.twitter.com/MqVjpgm4EO

— Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) March 13, 2023