When 23-year-old Ms Govu Sushruta stood at the hi-tech console at the head of an air-conditioned metro rake at Hyderabad’s Nagole station on a January day three years ago, she had reasons to be nervous- yet confident.
After all, she would be responsible for the passengers who would ride on the L&T Hyderabad Metro Rail Ltd (LTHMRL) train. As they rushed in to occupy the seats, Ms Susrutha whispered a brief prayer but knew that the microcontroller would guide the system.
She gently pushed a small gear-like shaft, pressed a couple of buttons, the automated PA system made the announcement, and the train, on the Blue Line, slowly slipped out of the platform for Raidurg.
Ms Susrutha now makes three train-trips a day on the 28-km stretch, with as much ease as she shoulders her part of her family responsibilities while ensuring care for her little son and in-laws.
“An engineer with B.Tech degree, I began working as a train operator after undergoing a special training course by LTHMRL for three months. This included hands-on driving practice in operating the metro rake, customer relationships, firefighting and first-aid,” says Ms Susrutha, who originally hails from Telangana’s Mahbubnagar.
She recalls that her parents were “very proud and happy” when she landed the job with LTHMRL. “My parents supported me immensely. Their grooming made me confident that I can achieve all that I dream of.”
What gives her “satisfaction” is that she, along with her other colleagues, “gives a safe and secure commute to scores of passengers” and is part of an organisation having “interesting, dynamic environment.”.
Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) are two extremely crucial criteria for the continued success of modern-day enterprises. At L&T, we have not only recognized their relevance but have taken some strategic, structured and well-considered initiatives to incorporate D&I virtues into our employee programs – be it hiring, fast-tracking bright talent, carefully placing employees where they can perform best or even in appropriately rewarding people.
Dr C Jayakumar, Vice President & Head – Corporate Human Resources, L&T
American educator and businessman Stephen Covey once said that “strength lies in differences, not in similarities”. So, at Larsen & Toubro, while we have been involved in engineering, manufacturing and construction, which have long been considered male bastions, it has been our strategic and concerted effort to enhance our Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) quotient.
Mr SN Subrahmanyan, CEO & MD, Larsen & Toubro