Women are flying planes, riding trains, and climbing mountains – but questions of 'can she really do it?', 'does she have what it takes?' follow them around every day – even today.
But the women loco pilots at Hyderabad Metro Rail (HMR) have no time for such questions. From being responsible for the safety of thousands of passengers every day to juggling work and family, they are always on the go.
HMR has at least 80 women loco pilots and a higher number of women technical staff. This Women's Day, The Quint spoke to some of them about what it is like to be in a male-dominated profession.
(This story was originally published on 6 March 2023. It has been republished from The Quint's archives after Surekha Yadav, Asia's first woman loco pilot, became the first woman to operate the newly-introduced Vande Bharat Express.)
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)