Nagpur & Ballarpur See First Women Officers in Coal Mines
Nagpur, India: Women are now breaking barriers in the coal mining sector, proving that determination and hard work can change mindsets. Akhila Sahiti Ankam and Pragya Vaishnav, Assistant Managers at WCL, have taken on roles once thought impossible for women.
Until 2019, women were not allowed to work in underground coal mines. However, after Chandrapur’s Chandrani Prasad Verma fought a legal battle, women got the opportunity to work in this field. Today, three women officers work in WCL’s Nagpur area and two in Ballarpur. Akhila entered an underground mine for the first time in 2020, followed by Pragya a month later.
Akhila, from Telangana, has been working in WCL’s Ballarpur area since November 2022. She pursued M.Tech in Mining and was inspired by Chandrani Prasad Verma’s journey. “When I first stepped into the mine, my male colleagues were very supportive. It was a challenge to adapt to the conditions and manage the team, but over time, things became easier,” she said. She credits her mother, Padma, a social worker, as her biggest inspiration.
Pragya, from Rajasthan, works in WCL’s Nagpur area. She describes underground mining as tough due to limited communication, high humidity, and natural difficulties. However, her internship at WCL helped her prepare for the role. She looks up to her mother, Sajjan Vaishnav, as her role model.
These women have shown that with courage and dedication, no profession is beyond reach. Their success is inspiring more women to step into the mining industry.
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