Telangana spotlight: Women blast through the mining barriers

For three-and-a-half years, Tumram Priya’s working day began with meticulous grooming, donning a crisp uniform and preparing for a day in the skies. As a flight attendant, she checked safety arrangements and ensured passengers’ comfort. Today, the 27-year-old manages personnel and vehicles at an office near an opencast coal mine in a remote, forested corner of Telangana. She is also familiar with the handling of controlled explosives.

“My father, Jaganath, worked for the Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) and took voluntary retirement due to health issues. I subsequently got the job under the dependent quota,” says Priya, a commerce graduate.