San Francisco Frontiers - Shrini Srivastava joins crew of Varanasi-Delhi Vande Bharat Sleeper service

Shrini Srivastava, an electronics engineer from Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, joined Indian Railways as an assistant loco pilot in April 2017. Seven years later, she made headlines after operating a Vande Bharat train and receiving an invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's swearing-in ceremony in June 2024. Now, she has been selected for the operating crew of the Varanasi-New Delhi Vande Bharat Sleeper Express. The sleeper train was flagged off from Varanasi on October 31, 2026, in the presence of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. as reported by reports, its 13-member operating crew includes seven women. Srivastava is among the assistant loco pilots assigned to the service, while Jyoti Kumari has been appointed as the guard.

Who is Shrini Srivastava, and when did she join Indian Railways? Srivastava belongs to Ghazipur district in eastern Uttar Pradesh. She completed her electronics engineering before joining Indian Railways as an assistant loco pilot in April 2017. She was posted in the Varanasi railway division.

as reported by a 2024 report by Dainik Jagran, she is the youngest of three sisters. Her father, Pankaj Srivastava, retired from the Public Works Department, while her mother, Maya Srivastava, is a homemaker. Her decision to enter the Railways came after completing her engineering education. She joined a technical railway role that involves assisting in train operations and working alongside the loco pilot. Her initial posting in the Varanasi division also placed her in the railway network from which her later association with Vande Bharat services emerged.

How operating Vande Bharat got her an invitation to PM Modi's swearing-in ceremony Srivastava's name came into the spotlight in 2024 after she operated the Vande Bharat Express on the Varanasi-New Delhi route as an assistant loco pilot.

She was reported to be the first woman assistant loco pilot in the North Eastern Railway zone to operate the semi-high-speed train. The achievement brought her recognition within the railway network and beyond it. In June 2024, she received an invitation to attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi's swearing-in ceremony. as reported by reports, she was among those invited in recognition of their contribution to operating the Vande Bharat Express.

The invitation marked a public recognition of her work on the train. At that point, she had already spent around seven years working with Indian Railways, having joined the organisation in April 2017. Her association with Vande Bharat was not limited to the recognition she received in 2024. In October 2026, she was selected for another Vande Bharat service, this time the sleeper version connecting Varanasi and New Delhi.

Shrini Srivastava joins the Vande Bharat Sleeper operating crew Srivastava has now been selected as an assistant loco pilot in the operating crew of the Varanasi-New Delhi Vande Bharat Sleeper Express.

The train was flagged off from Varanasi on October 31, 2026. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw were present at the launch. as reported by reports, the train's 13-member operating crew includes seven women. Srivastava is among the employees entrusted with operational responsibilities, while Jyoti Kumari has been assigned the role of guard.

The selection places Srivastava in the operating team of a new Vande Bharat service introduced for overnight journeys between Uttar Pradesh and the national capital. The sleeper train differs from the chair-car Vande Bharat services. It has been designed to accommodate passengers travelling overnight, with sleeping arrangements and other passenger amenities.

Varanasi-Delhi Vande Bharat Sleeper train timings and route The new Vande Bharat Sleeper Express operates between Varanasi and New Delhi, with an overnight schedule in both directions.

The train departs from Varanasi at 8:50 pm and reaches New Delhi at 6:10 am the following morning. On its return journey, it leaves New Delhi at 9:40 pm and arrives in Varanasi at 7:10 am. The train passes through four stations on its route:

The sleeper version has been designed for long-distance travel, with sleeping arrangements, improved passenger amenities and advanced safety features. It also incorporates regenerative braking, an energy-efficient system that recovers energy when the train slows down or brakes. The service provides overnight connectivity between Varanasi and Delhi, allowing passengers to board in the evening and reach their destination the next morning.

What are the responsibilities of an assistant loco pilot? An assistant loco pilot works alongside the loco pilot in operating a train. The role involves supporting train operations, following operational procedures and assisting in ensuring the safe movement of trains.

Loco pilot duties also involve working as reported by railway schedules and handling the responsibilities associated with operating trains on different routes. Srivastava joined Indian Railways in this role after completing electronics engineering in 2017. Her subsequent association with the Vande Bharat Express in 2024 brought her public recognition, followed by the invitation to PM Modi's swearing-in ceremony.

Her latest selection is for the operating crew of the Vande Bharat Sleeper Express, which began its service from Varanasi on October 31, 2026.

G.Miller--SFF