Central Railway celebrated International Women's Day with great enthusiasm on 5th March 2025 at CSMT. The event, organised under the Central Staff Benefit Fund (CSBF), honoured 24 outstanding women employees of Central Railway. The felicitation ceremony, which was attended by prominent officials, saw the presentation of the prestigious “Sashakt Naari Puraskar” to women achievers from various departments and divisions, including Technicians, Engineers, Office Superintendents, Train Managers, Assistant Loco Pilots, Nursing Superintendents, Translators, and Office Assistants.

Shri Dharam Veer Meena, General Manager of Central Railway, was the Chief Guest at the function, while Smt. Asha Meena, President of Central Railway Women’s Welfare Organisation (CRWWO), was the Guest of Honour. Together, they presented awards to the women achievers for their exceptional contributions, which led to improvements in railway operations, enhanced productivity, and the prevention of accidents.

In addition to the awards, sewing machines were gifted to 10 dependent spouses (female) and daughters, and bicycles were presented to 13 dependent unmarried daughters of railway employees as part of the Women Empowerment Activities.

Shri Dharam Veer Meena spoke about the respect for women ingrained in Indian culture and tradition. He highlighted the role of women in various posts within Central Railway, from officers to track maintainers. He also mentioned Central Railway's achievements, such as being home to Asia’s first woman loco pilot, Smt. Surekha Yadav, and the first all-women-managed stations at Matunga, Ajni, and Amravati.

Dr. Sushma Matey, Medical Director at Bharat Ratna Babasaheb Ambedkar Memorial Hospital, Byculla, also addressed the gathering and emphasized the importance of women’s health.

The event was attended by senior officials, including Shri Pratik Goswami, Additional General Manager, and representatives from CRWWO and railway unions.

Source/CR