Lucknow’s Salma Beig is India’s first gate woman. She is posted at Bharwara crossing of Lucknow. She achieved this feat at the young age of 22, and now it has been ten years since she started doing this job.
Lucknow: Salma Beig becomes the centre of attention when she carries her duties of opening and closing the railway gates. For time immemorial, men have been employed with these tasks. But being the country’s first gate woman, she declares through her work that women can make their mark in any field of work. She was very young at the time of her appointment but was mature enough to realize her responsibilities as a woman. She often becomes a source of inspiration for little girls who peek at her from tiny windows of trains.
Who is Salma?
Salma is a resident of Gomti Nagar. Her father lost his job due to various health issues. Her mother is a homemaker. Due to her father’s immobility, Salma had to find a means of earning income for running her household. She appeared for the relevant exams and received training after clearing them. This opportunity made her India’s first gate woman. Her work involves, waving the flag after making sure of the safety of the tracks. She notes the arrival and departure time of the train.
Maintain a balance
Salma completed her graduation from Lucknow University. She is a married woman and has a 2-year-old son. She works for 12 hours straight and then returns back home. She embraces her son after a long day at work. Due to her long working hours, she does not get to spend much time with her son.
Asserting rights
Salma shares the story about when she was about to get married. Her potential future husband asked her to leave her job before marriage. Salma did not hesitate to declare that it was her right and she had worked hard to get there. She refused from leaving the job saying that she would rather not marry. Fortunately, her potential partner got convinced and today they are a happily married couple.
Following the customs
Salma raises her concerns about some people expressing their dissent about wearing hijabs. According to her, there are people in our society who don’t like them for who they are. Salma wears a hijab to her work and shares that she works in a safe office environment. People at her work are understanding of her preferences and do not isolate her because of her customs and traditions.
Changing perspectives of people
When Salma got appointed as a gate woman in the railways, her relatives were particularly not very happy for her. They constantly tried to provoke of her for doing a job designated for men. The same people would visit her home to instigate her parents against her. On the brighter side, Salma’s parents were extremely supportive of her and were delighted for her success. When Salma’s story made the headlines in the newspapers, the same people who had discouraged her in the beginning, started to congratulate her.
Achieving a milestone
Salma became a gate woman at the age of 22. Ten years have gone by since she started doing her job. Salma shares that in the beginning, everything felt a bit intimidating as a woman working in a male-dominated department. But she persevered with a single thought that “One who never gives up, makes history.”
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