Hyderabad: South Central Railway celebrated SCR International Women’s Day in a grand manner at the Rail Nilayam Auditorium in Secunderabad on Wednesday, with General Manager Sanjay Kumar Srivastava attending as the chief guest.
Additional General Manager Satya Prakash, Commissioner of Railway Safety S.C Circle Madhavi, and Principal Chief Personnel Officer Siddharth Kati were present at the event. Principal Heads of Departments, officers, and staff also attended the programme.
During the celebration, the General Manager presented awards to the best women employees from different departments for the year 2025–2026. He also distributed prizes to winners of elocution and essay writing competitions organised as part of the event.
Students of Railway Mixed High School performed cultural programmes, including a skit and dance performance. In addition, a woman employee presented a Kuchipudi dance that received appreciation from the audience.
SCR International Women’s Day highlights women leadership in railway departments
Speaking at the event, Sanjay Kumar Srivastava said the theme for this year’s celebration was “Give To Gain”. He emphasised that education remains the key to empowerment and the most effective way for individuals to grow and contribute to society.
He also explained the difference between equality and equity in the context of women’s empowerment. According to him, equality means providing the same rights and opportunities to all genders, while equity focuses on offering specific support and resources to ensure fair outcomes.
Srivastava noted that South Central Railway has made progress in improving facilities for women employees but acknowledged that more work remains.
He added that several important departments in the zone are currently led by women officers. These include the Operating, Commercial, Security, Finance, and Medical departments, as well as the Guntur Division.
Earlier, Siddharth Kati delivered the welcome address and praised women employees for their dedication and professionalism. He said nearly 8,000 women employees work in the zone and handle key responsibilities such as loco pilots, track maintainers, and train managers.
Kati also said SCR has introduced several platforms to support women employees in the workplace. These include complaint mechanisms such as the “She Portal” and the “Shine App” to ensure a safe and supportive working environment.
During the programme, several senior women officers addressed the gathering. Among them were Madhavi, Commissioner of Railway Safety S.C Circle; K. Padmaja, Principal Chief Operations Manager; Aroma Singh Thakur, Principal Chief Security Commissioner; Hema Suneeta, Principal Financial Advisor; Dr. Nirmala Rajaram, Principal Chief Medical Director; Ity Pandey, Principal Chief Commercial Manager; and Sudeshna Sen, Divisional Railway Manager of Guntur Division.
They encouraged women employees to prioritise their health, strengthen financial stability, and remain confident while speaking up for their rights and opportunities.