Odisha Republic Day Tableau Celebrates Woman Loco Pilot’s Inspiring Journey

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government showcased a tableau themed “Women in the Transport Sector” during the state-level Republic Day celebrations at Mahatma Gandhi Marg on Monday, highlighting the spirit of Nari Shakti through the inspiring life story of a woman locomotive pilot from Sundargarh district.

The tableau portrayed the journey of 41-year-old Munni Tigga from Hatibari village, who has been working as a freight train driver for the past 14 years, breaking barriers in a profession traditionally dominated by men.

Born into a farming family, Tigga excelled academically and topped her batch in 2002 at Kumjharia Girls’ High School. However, financial hardships at home made it impossible for her father to support her higher education. With seven children to care for, the family struggled to meet even basic needs.

Forced to put her studies on hold, Tigga began helping her father with farming and later took up work as a labourer in a private factory nearly 13–14 km from her village. She recalled how her mother would wake her at 2 am each day, after which she would cycle to work before dawn despite the lack of proper roads, returning home late in the evening after long hours of labour.

A turning point came in 2004 when she visited her elder sister in Rourkela and saw a former school friend pursuing college education. Motivated to try again, Tigga enrolled in Plus II Science at SG Women’s College. Though she later failed her examinations due to personal reasons, she did not give up.

Encouragement from a group of students preparing for competitive exams near her sister’s residence helped her regain confidence. Acting on their advice, Tigga decided to prepare for railway recruitment exams.

Her determination led her to secure admission at a government ITI college in Bargarh in 2006. After completing her course, she appeared for railway examinations across different zones. Her persistence paid off when she cleared the exam and joined Indian Railways as an assistant loco pilot in November 2011. She was promoted to loco pilot in 2016.

Tigga married in 2013 and is now a mother of two. She currently operates goods trains on the Palasa–Khurda route and says her top priority is ensuring quality education for her children.

“Providing education to my children is my top priority, and I would love to see both of them grow into independent individuals,” Tigga said, adding that women should pursue their dreams and never bow to societal pressure.

Through this tableau, the Odisha government paid tribute to the resilience and achievements of women who are redefining roles in critical sectors like transport.