Historic Milestone: Watch as All-Women Crew Operates Vande Bharat Express on International Women’s Day
In a groundbreaking move to celebrate International Women’s Day, the Central Railways marked a historic moment by operating the CSMT-Shirdi Vande Bharat Express with an all-women crew for the first time. The crew, comprising the loco pilot, assistant loco pilot, train manager, ticket examiners, and train hostesses, showcased the strength, dedication, and leadership of women in Indian Railways.
Shweta Ghone, the Central Railway Passenger Train Manager, expressed her pride, stating, “This is a proud moment for us. If a woman can perform a hard task like giving birth, then what can’t she do? Society needs to understand this. When a woman becomes capable, she can make her entire family capable. If every woman becomes capable, then how can our country not progress?”
#WATCH | Maharashtra, Mumbai | Central Railway Passenger Train Manager, Shweta Ghone says, "This is a proud moment for us… If a woman can perform a hard task like giving birth, then what can't she do? Society needs to understand this. When a woman becomes capable, she can make… https://t.co/zWWrTr9T2o pic.twitter.com/nHatZhvxLD
— ANI (@ANI) March 8, 2025
The initiative wasn’t limited to passenger trains. Swapnil Nila, Chief Public Relations Officer of Central Railways, revealed that a goods train was also operated by an all-women crew on the same day. He emphasized that Indian Railways has always strived to empower women and plans to extend this initiative to other Vande Bharat trains in the future.
The Central Railways took to social media platform X to celebrate the milestone, calling it a “proud and historic moment.” Their post read, “HISTORIC MOMENT! For the first time ever, a Vande Bharat Express is being fully operated by an all-women crew, departing from CSMT on this #InternationalWomensDay!”
#WATCH | Maharashtra: On the occasion of International Women's Day, Central Railways is running an all-women train.
— ANI (@ANI) March 8, 2025
CSMT-Shirdi Vande Bharat has an all-women crew today, including the loco pilot, assistant loco pilot, train manager, TCs and train Hostesses. pic.twitter.com/4wTuMNlVLO
The celebration of women’s achievements extended beyond the railways. Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to ‘Nari Shakti’ (women power) and announced that his social media platforms would be taken over by women from diverse fields to highlight their contributions. In a post on X, PM Modi said, “We bow to our Nari Shakti on #WomensDay! Our Government has always worked for empowering women, reflecting in our schemes and programmes.”
This initiative by Indian Railways not only highlights the capabilities of women but also sets a precedent for greater gender inclusivity in traditionally male-dominated fields. It serves as a reminder that empowering women is a crucial step toward national progress.
