This week, Ms Yadav bade farewell to her job after 36 years of service, retiring as India's first female train driver.  Over the years, she has operated a variety of trains across the length and breadth of India, sometimes navigating challenging terrain and harsh weather conditions.Today, there are more than 2,000 female train operators in the Indian Railways, but Ms Yadav took up the job at a time when it was uncommon for women to explore this profession. Born in 1965 in a small town in India's western Maharashtra state, Ms Yadav comes from a farming family and is the eldest of five siblings. From a young age, she was exposed to hard work, helping out her family on the farm while also studying. Her parents always encouraged her to put her studies first, she says. "Though my parents came from a modest background, they were progressive in their thinking. They educated me and that allowed me to work."

After finishing her education as an electrical engineer, Ms Yadav immediately began looking for a job. She randomly spotted a newspaper advertisement by the Indian railways, looking for assistant train drivers, and grabbed the opportunity. At the time, she wasn't aware that there were no female train operators in the country. She simply saw the job as a means to earn an income. (BBC)