Akanksha Kumari has become the first-ever woman mining engineer in Coal India's history to work in its underground mines. Ms Kumari scripted history by joining Central Coalfields Limited (CCL) at its Churi underground mines in the North Karanpura area of Jharkhand. In a tweet shared Tuesday, Central Coalfields Limited - a subsidiary of Coal India - said that Akanksha Kumari became the first woman mining engineer to join CCL.
"A graduate of BIT Sindri, Ms Kumari broke the gender barriers by joining Churi UG mine, NK Area. She became the 1st women mining engineer in the history of CIL to work in underground mines," read the tweet.
In a statement released by Bihar's Press Information Bureau, Central Coalfields said that its women employees have excelled in a number of roles, ranging from officer to doctor to security guard to even running heavy machinery. However, this is "the first time when the core mining activity of one of the biggest coal mining companies of the world will witness this progressive change."
"The enormity of her achievement can be gauged by the fact that Akanksha is the second mining engineer in the Maharatna conglomerate Coal India Limited and the first woman to work in an underground coal mine," the statement read.
Union Minister of Coal, Mines and Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi congratulated Ms Kumari on her achievement.
Three-time BJP MP PC Mohan hailed it as a historic moment for gender representation.
The official Twitter account of the Ministry of Coal also congratulated the engineer and wrote: "You are an inspiration to many women."
A resident of Barkagaon in Hazaribagh district, Jharkhand, Akanksha Kumari belongs to the mining belt and witnessed mining activities from close quarters since she was a child. With a natural interest in mines, she opted to study mining engineering at Birsa Institute of Technology Sindri.
Ms Kumari says she received unflinching support from her family which allowed her to pursue her dreams.
