Mother of Three Becomes Role Model as First Female Railway Porter in Rajasthan

34-year-old Manju Devi broke through the glass ceiling as the first woman porter in conservative Rajasthan, India, working at the busy Jaipur railway station with 177 other porters – all of whom are men – and is praised by the authorities.

When Devi’s husband – himself a porter – died of liver dysfunction, she needed to find a way to keep her three children sheltered, fed and educated. She followed her mother’s guidance and went to the railway authorities, convincing them to transfer her husband’s badge in her name, even though they had never hired a woman. She has been committed to her job since 2013 and is the only female porter in the entire North Western Railway region in India.

Carrying heavy luggage as a career is no easy task, and Devi’s dedication and work has earned her several awards for being an inspiration to other women.

She has also been praised by the Ministry of Women and Child Development and had attended a gathering of women achievers at President’s House. Devi explains of her work, “It’s a male-dominated job, but my colleagues are very supportive and have always guided me. Now, I do not hesitate and interact with them freely. It’s like one big family, where I can consult them when faced with any problem.”