- 14 March 2023
- By GyanOk
Daily Current Affairs Notes for 14 March 2023
Surekha Yadav, Asia’s 1st woman loco pilot who now operates Vande Bharat
The Vande Bharat Express is now being driven by Surekha Yadav, the first female locomotive pilot in Asia. From Solapur to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminal (CSMT) in Maharashtra.
Asia’s 1st woman loco pilot who now operates Vande Bharat
Surekha Yadav, a native of Satara, Maharashtra, made history as the first female locomotive pilot in Asia by driving the Vande Bharat Express from Solapur to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminal (CSMT) in Maharashtra. In 1988, Yadav broke barriers by becoming the first woman in India to become a train driver.
In honor of International Women's Day (8 March), the Central Railway ran the well-known Mumbai-Pune Deccan Queen Express and CSMT-Kalyan ladies' special local train with exclusively female crews. Surekha Yadav served as the operator of the Deccan Queen on that day, accompanied by assistant loco pilot Sayali Sawardekar. The passengers were supported and guided by a team of six female traveling ticket examiners, led by chief ticket inspector Jiji John and Deepa Vaidya, while Leena Francis took on the responsibilities of the train manager (guard).
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Mayuri Kamble served as the guard on the K99 local, a women-only train running between Kalyan and Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Station (CSMT), which was operated by Mumtaz Kazi, the first suburban motor lady in Asia.
A book titled “India’s Struggle for Independence – Gandhian Era” released

“India’s Struggle for Independence – Gandhian Era” released
A book titled "India's Struggle for Independence - Gandhian Era" has been released by Supreme Court Judge Justice V. Ramasubramanian at an event held at the University of Madras. The book, authored by P. Jyothimani, a former Judge of the Madras High Court, and G. Balan, a former professor of history at Pachiayappa's College, was published by Vanathi Pathipagam. It explores the significance of Mahatma Gandhi in modern times and covers various aspects of the Indian independence struggle.
The first copy of the book was presented to Justice R. Mahadevan, a Judge of the Madras High Court, who spoke about the challenges faced by Gandhi in his pursuit of social and economic justice, equality, poverty and ignorance eradication, and ultimately securing India's independence through non-violence and ahimsa.
Vyas Samman 2022: Gyan Chaturvedi to be awarded for ‘Pagalkhana’
Vyas Samman 2022: Pagalkhana, a 2018 satirical novel by renowned Hindi author Dr. Gyan Chaturvedi, has been chosen for the 32nd Vyas Samman.
Vyas Samman 2022
Dr. Gyan Chaturvedi's 2018 satirical novel "Pagalkhana" (mental hospital) has been selected for the 32nd Vyas Samman, a prestigious literary award in India. The selection committee, headed by distinguished author Prof. Ramji Tiwari, chose the novel for the esteemed honor. Dr. Chaturvedi is a renowned Hindi author.
The annual Vyas Samman was established by the KK Birla Foundation in 1991 to honor exceptional Hindi literature written by an Indian citizen and published within the previous ten years. The award includes a cash prize of 4 lakh rupees. Additionally, the KK Birla Foundation has also established the Saraswati Samman, the Bihari Puraskar, and the Vyas Samman awards. The Saraswati Samman, worth Rs. 15 lakh, is presented to a remarkable literary work authored by an Indian citizen in any of the languages listed in Schedule VIII of the Indian Constitution and published within ten years. The Bihari Puraskar, which is worth Rs. 2.5 lakh, is bestowed upon Rajasthani Hindi/Rajasthani authors.
About the Dr. Gyan Chaturvedi
- Born on August 2, 1952, in the Jhansi region of Uttar Pradesh, Dr. Chaturvedi is a well-known expert on cardiovascular diseases in Madhya Pradesh. He recently retired as the director of the hospital after serving for over 30 years.
- Dr. Chaturvedi was awarded the Padma Shri in 2015, which is India's fourth-highest civilian honor. He has also been bestowed with the Delhi Academy Award, Indu Sharma International Katha Samman, and the Sharad Joshi Samman by the Madhya Pradesh government for his remarkable achievements in the fields of satire and essay.
- So far, the 71-year-old author has published thousands of satirical works. His first book, Narak-Yatra (journey to hell), based on the medical science education system in India, was an instant hit among Hindi readers.