Women loco pilots to attend Narendra Modi's oath taking ceremony on June 9

As Narendra Modi is set to be sworn in as the Prime Minister for the third time on June 9, a total of 8,000 special guests, including Vande Bharat's female loco pilot Aishwarya S Menon from Chennai Railway Division and Asia's first female loco pilot Surekha Yadav are invited to attend the ceremony.

On the other hand, the event will also be graced by the presence of sanitation workers, transgender staff and labourers, who contributed to the Central Vista Project, as honoured guests. 

According to media reports, Aishwarya S Menon is a senior assistant loco pilot from the Chennai railway division who operates the Vande Bharat Express. She was chosen for her experience, having logged over two lakh footplate hours piloting various trains, including the Vande Bharat Express and Jan Shatabdi. She has consistently operated the Chennai–Vijayawada and Chennai–Coimbatore Vande Bharat Express services.

Surekha Yadav who is Asia's pioneering female locomotive pilot, according to media reports, currently operates the Vande Bharat train from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus to Solapur. She made history as India's first female train driver in 1988 and has since received numerous state and national accolades. She operates the high-speed Vande Bharat Express between Solapur and CSMT in Mumbai.

The swearing-in ceremony, scheduled for June 9, will mark Modi's third consecutive term as Prime Minister, highlighting his enduring popularity and the trust placed in him by his party and coalition partners. The event is expected to be attended by numerous dignitaries, political leaders, and international guests, underscoring the significance of the occasion.