Empowering with a punch: Southern Railway opens doors for women athletes

CHENNAI: In a move aimed at shattering glass ceilings and fostering athletic excellence, the Southern Railway (SR) has decided on formation of its first-ever women’s teams for boxing, weightlifting, and table tennis.

This initiative, framed within the broader goal of women’s empowerment, seeks to create much-needed job opportunities and a dedicated sporting pathway for female athletes in India.

For decades, talented sportswomen from the region have often been forced to look elsewhere for stable careers, even as their male counterparts found a home in the SR’s established sporting ecosystem. This new initiative directly addresses that gap, promising a future where local talent can stay and thrive.

“Being a seasoned boxer, I have visited several places across India for competitions and have seen women boxers in other states, but found very few job opportunities for women here,” V Devarajan, sports officer, and the first Indian to win the World Cup Boxing Championship in a foreign country. He is also an Arjuna Awardee in 1995 and a 1992 Olympian.

“There are instances where talented women boxers from Tamil Nadu were forced to join other zones. This also added to the initiative of starting a boxing team for women,” Devarajan said.

Pioneering move

While women’s boxing was introduced in India in 2000 and adopted by many railway zones years ago, the SR’s belated entry marks a significant step. The team has its first pioneer: Tamanna, a 19-year-old pugilist from Haryana, who has joined as the first-ever woman boxer in the 70 kg category. “I saw the advertisement for recruitments when I was 17 and waited till I was 18 to apply. I’m proud to be the first woman boxer in the team; my aim is national and international achievements,” Tamanna told DT Next.

The recruitment is clearly through the sports quota norms, and the process is rigorous. “For Group D, a candidate must be a national-level player who has reached at least the quarter-finals. For Group C, athletes must secure a top-three rank at the national level. International players can be fast-tracked through a talent quota within six months,” Devarajan explained.

With over 50 seats allocated for sports quota recruitment each year in the SR alone, the potential for attracting top talent is substantial. The zone hopes that Tamanna would be the first of many to join this year, building a team capable of competing at the highest levels.

The men’s team’s success — having recently won the third place in the All India Railway Boxing Championship 2024 with one gold and two silver medals, including a gold from Abhishek Yadav — provides a strong foundation and a blueprint for the women’s squad to emulate.

Weightlifting, TT

The empowerment drive extends beyond the boxing ring. The weightlifting team, which began in 2024, has already recruited a Commonwealth champion from Kerala and one more sportsperson from West Bengal. One more athlete is set to join soon, with plans to recruit four more to build a formidable unit.

“The job opportunity has given us recognition for our talent. For now, my goal is to secure the first position for All India Railway Weightlifting Championship and later, win in international games like Olympics and Commonwealth games,” said weightlifter Shrabani Das, the new player recruited by SR. Their ambitions are not unreal. They would be inspired by the stellar record of the men’s team weightlifter, N Ajith, a five-time national champion and a gold medallist in the recently concluded Commonwealth Weightlifting Championship 2025.

He was also the Best Lifter of the championship, and created a new record in the Clean & Jerk event of the championship. Rudramayan, another weightlifter, won a gold medal in the 2024 All India Railway Championship and a silver medal in the Senior National Championship. Come 2025, the rhythmic sound of ping-pong will also join the chorus of sporting activity as the new women’s table tennis team takes shape, with its first player already recruited.

Sending a message

SR’s initiative is strategically significant. With boxing being a major medal-winning sport at the Olympics, nurturing home grown talent could contribute to India’s future Olympic contingent.

“The Railway Board is backing these efforts with initiatives to train recruits, mirroring the support given to the successful men’s teams. The ultimate goal is to see SR’s women standing on national and international podiums,” explained an SR official.

The official also pointed out a common hurdle: many sportspersons are unaware of the opportunities at SR and often ignore recruitment advertisements. “But later when their friends join, many come forward,” he added.

“The hope is that the formation of these teams will itself become its own best ad.” By creating these teams, SR is not just recruiting athletes; it’s also investing in a future where the strength and skill of South India’s women are recognised, nurtured, and celebrated on the national stage.