Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – Indira Eegalapati, a trailblazing loco pilot from Hyderabad, is poised to take the reins of the much-anticipated Riyadh Metro, which is set to commence operations in early 2025. As one of the few women in this role, Eegalapati is enthusiastic about being part of this world-class rapid transit project. At just 33 years old, Eegalapati has already made significant strides in her career, having served as a train pilot and station operations master for five years. Her journey began back in Hyderabad, where she was employed with the local metro system. "It is really a proud moment for me to be a part of this prestigious project, especially being an expatriate," she shared in an interview. Eegalapati, along with two other Indian recruits, joined the Riyadh Metro team in 2019. However, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic forced them to undergo their initial training virtually.
Now, as trial runs are underway, Eegalapati is eagerly awaiting the metro's official launch. Reflecting on her experience in Saudi Arabia, she expressed, "It has been a really good experience so far. The people of Saudi Arabia are very friendly and have a great culture. I can’t imagine that I have already completed five years here." Remarkably, she noted that she has never faced any challenges as a woman in her profession, affirming, "We have equal opportunities here and there is no gender bias." Eegalapati hails from Dhullipalla in Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh, but has lived in Hyderabad since 2006. Coming from a lower middle-class family, her father, a mechanic, prioritized education for his children, ensuring they had opportunities to succeed. "Being a girl, marriage was an important thing to our families, but for our father, education came first," she said proudly.
Eegalapati holds an engineering degree, and her family has also embraced the metro industry; her elder sister is a teacher, her younger sister works as a train pilot in Hyderabad, and her husband is part of the maintenance team for the metro. In addition to her responsibilities in Riyadh, Eegalapati had the opportunity to contribute to crowd management during the 2022 Football World Cup in Doha. "It was a great experience to witness such a crowd, and without a single incident, we made it a success," she remarked. As the Riyadh Metro prepares for its grand opening, Eegalapati stands as a testament to the breaking of barriers in the transportation industry, inspiring future generations of women to pursue their dreams in fields traditionally dominated by men.