ON TRACK

Jaya Varma Sinha, the first woman CEO and chair of the Railway Board, says skill sets, dedication and competence are gender-agnostic

- SANJIB KR BARUAH

The railways conjure an image of stronglimbed men toiling and grunting while lifting heavy iron equipment under the hot sun to lay down the tracks. But the world’s fourth largest railway network is now headed by a woman.

For Jaya Varma Sinha, who took over as the first woman chief executive officer and chairperson of the Railway Board last September 1, ascribing gender characteristics to the profession may seemingly amount to profiling.

“Railways worldwide have traditionally been a male-dominated sector as it demands 24x7 operations,” she tells THE WEEK. “However, working in the railways for more than 36 years and seeing women across ranks perform have taught me that skill sets, dedication and competence are gender-agnostic. I am proud and honoured that I have this opportunity to lead this wonderful organisation at a transformative stage. I am thrilled to be part of this journey. This is the empowering decade of naari shakti (women power), and may their tribe increase!”