Think about it, here out of nowhere, steam rises where the little train crawls uphill, mist slips between tall pines without so much as a rush while a distant whistle cuts the mountain air. This track, older than most towns nearby, still moves people forward. Riders bring laughter, silence, bread rolls, and old letters here. 

Yet come February 2026, the DHR held more than its usual load; it carried the weight of a historic first. Suddenly, Sarita Yolma stepped into history, no longer waiting behind the curtain, as the first female ticket checker ever hired by the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway since it began running over a century ago. 

A First Since 1879 on a Classic Indian Train Journey

In this train, playfully known as the “toy train,” old steam engines chug along a narrow track where mountains rise behind the tea fields. From New Jalpaiguri up to Darjeeling, the journey unfolds through misty turns and small villages. And beneath the appeal lies a setup long shaped by men, particularly visible up close, where tasks such as checking tickets unfold.

But Feb 5th flipped things around, as Sarita Yolma stepped into the role of TTE on the DHR stretch. 

School came first, then Sonada High carried her through twelfth grade before she stepped into a college in Darjeeling. Life pulled her away much like it did so many others from that time, but wait..ambition wasn’t missing, just set aside by what needed doing.

That year, working for the railroads moved everything in her life. A railway position came her way back in 1991. Her direction took a sharp turn once she started with the trains. The moment she joined the rails, things were never quite the same. Starting at the railroad marked a turning point after 1991. 

Though she left school after one year, life led her down tracks few had walked before. Years passed while Sarita stayed at the railway printing press in Kurseong, working patiently without so much as a larger-than-life dream that has now unfolded before her. Quietly she kept to her tasks, never seeking notice. But..uff, fate or kismet stepped in once more. After the Kurseong press closed, workers moved to different sites. One of those people was Sarita. 

New Transfers Bring Change

That year, Sarita moved to New Jalpaiguri, stepping into jobs where shifting quickly became routine. She handled different tasks without knowing what came next.

She worked as:

• an announcer
• People working behind the information desk

a ticket checker

• Train Ticket Examiner

Looking back at the turn things took, she talked about chances arriving out of nowhere, paths appearing where none seemed possible before. 

“I was happy working in the railway press at Kurseong. But destiny had something different in store for me… I got transferred to New Jalpaiguri and was forced to take up new challenges. Had I not joined the commercial section, I would not have got new opportunities.”

The Reality of Being a Woman in Uniform

Sarita brought up how it hits her being a woman doing the TTE job, particularly when travelers seem thrown off by someone like her in that spot. She mentioned moments on duty where people’s eyes hold hers for way too long and where questions come more suspiciously than needed. There is weight in showing up each day, knowing some expect you not to last. 

“The moment passengers see me wearing a TTE dress and checking their tickets, they become inquisitive… human bonds start forming. And the photo session begins.”

A Family That Recognizes Her Strength

55 year old Sarita is married to Dawa Yolmo, who once held the role of senior section engineer at the Tindharia railway workshop before stepping away from work. Their bond has grown through years shaped by routine and quiet effort. In our delulu universe, this is the “Jab We Met part 2” we didn’t know we needed. 

She worked hard on the rails, yet found time to care deeply for her family. That balance, recognized in the moment, is what makes her struggle one-of-a-kind.

Besides offering praise, the railway staff joined in celebrating her success. The DHR head added warm hopes for what lies ahead.

Social Media Applause and Its Hidden Costs

Faster than a blink, posts began flooding timelines, and reactions popped up like sparks on dry grass. Applause spread fast when Sarita reached her mark, folks labeling it both uplifting and something that should’ve happened sooner. People loved this “boss girl energy” because why not? 

Yet beneath the clapping surfaced a different presence, one strangled by stereotypical echoes.

Some voices in the replies skipped right past her achievements. They were concerned more about her looks, which surprise surprise… is the first thing people care to notice about a woman who has done something remarkable. 

Her appearance drew comparisons to men, sparking remarks that poked fun at or doubted who she really was. Underneath online posts, phrases such as “uncle-aunty” spread, along with “she looks like a man,” or the odd comment about lipstick being the only clue. Some even suggested that patriarchy is so ingrained, that even after 145 years, they had to find a woman who looked like a man, in fact. It was meant to be a sarcastic take, and poked fun at the lady in question. 

Change means more than just seeing women step into fresh jobs. What counts is how people begin to respect them there, only then does a real moment of change happen.

Sarita Yolmo’s Journey Extends Beyond a Single Event

Each woman in the mountains once believed that some uniforms weren’t made for someone like her. Stories like these ride proudly on the Darjeeling toy train, rolling through 145 years of mountain air.

We love to see what this new ride holds for women all over the world!