Hyderabadi woman drives Metro trains in Saudi Arabia

Before coming to drive trains in Saudi Arabia, she worked with the Hyderabad Metro Rail for over three years

Jeddah: Saudi Arabia was once known for being the only country in the world that does not allow women to drive vehicles. However, women are now breaking stereotypes with women empowerment as part of Vision 2030 in full flow in Saudi Arabia.

Among those making a mark is Indian woman loco pilot Indira Eegalapati. A native of Guntur settled in Hyderabad, she is now a pilot with the Riyadh Metro Train. Before coming to drive trains in Saudi Arabia, Indira worked with the Hyderabad Metro Rail for over three years and so far, she has logged 15,000 train kilometres.

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An IT engineering postgraduate, who chose to be different even when her friends chose the software field, Indira could be among a rare group of women who have worked as loco pilots at home and abroad as well.

“While I was a child, I used to assist my mechanic father by giving him tools and spare parts, and now I am driving one of the most advanced trains of the world,” Indira told ‘Telangana Today’.

“We are three sisters and our father gave utmost importance to our education, though some of our relatives opposed spending on education instead of saving for dowry,” she recalled.

“When I was selected for Riyadh Metro, most of our relatives were apprehensive as to how a single woman could go to Saudi Arabia to work as a train pilot. My determination didn’t deter me and I made my way to Saudi,” Indira said.

Indira also operated the train in Doha during the Football World Cup after being sent there by Saudi Arabia.

She is full of praise for her Saudi female colleagues and impressed with women empowerment in Saudi Arabia as part of Vision 2030. It is noteworthy to mention that Saudi women pilots constitute a major part of metro train pilots in the Kingdom.

Indira is now married, with her husband also working as a loco pilot in Qatar.