Women’s rescue team shines as Singareni wins big at All India Mines Rescue Competition

Singareni Collieries’ men’s rescue team won the overall championship while the debutant women’s team secured second place at the 54th All India Mines Rescue Competitions in Nagpur, bringing home a record 20 awards

Peddapalli: The men’s and women’s rescue teams of Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) delivered an impressive performance at the national level, winning top honours at the 54th All India Mines Rescue Competition held in Nagpur, Maharashtra, from December 2 to 7.

While the men’s team clinched the first prize and overall championship, the women’s team, making its debut at the national event, secured the second prize. Out of 36 teams that took part in the competitions, Singareni teams created history by bagging the highest number of awards, a total of 20 across various categories.

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In addition to finishing second overall, the women’s team also won the first prize in first aid and secured several other awards in different events. Among individual achievements, Gayathri Challa won the best rescuer award, Krishnaveni received the best captain award, and A Mounika was adjudged the second best rescuer.

The success comes amid SCCL’s sustained efforts to encourage the participation of women in coal mining, including underground operations. Over the past two years, the company has appointed 1,900 women employees in various roles. As part of this initiative, a dedicated women’s rescue team was also constituted.

For the first time in its 136-year history, SCCL formed a women’s rescue team comprising 13 officers, who underwent 14 days of specialised training in June this year.

Congratulating the teams, SCCL Chairman and Managing Director N Balram said it was particularly gratifying that the newly constituted women’s rescue team secured second place in its maiden national level appearance. He urged both the teams to carry forward the same spirit and excellence at the upcoming International Mines Rescue Competition to be held in Zambia.