Manju stands tall in her fraternity, being the first woman coolie (porter) of North Western Railway, in a profession that is considered only a male bastion. Manju was also among 112 women achiever who were recognised by the President earlier this year for setting a milestone in their respective fields.
Manju reminiscences how being illiterate and not knowing how the platforms are numbered forced her to rely on passengers and fellow porters to locate coaches and seats. She took on the demanding task of hauling luggage at Jaipur Railway Station after acquiring her deceased husband Mahadev’s porter license.
Manju Devi wears porters’ licence badge no. 15 as she waits for passengers on a platform at the railway station. After losing her husband to a prolonged illness,she approached railway authorities who helped in transferring his licence and badge to her name.
Porter Manju Devi ferries luggage across the tracks at a railway station in Jaipur. Being a porter is physically demanding, but with three teenagers to take care of, Manju Devi takes on each day with great grit and determination.
She admits that it took her a while to grasp the realities of her job initially and being a pioneer she had to design her own uniform. Now, clad in a red kurta and black salwar, she sets out every day to work in multiple shifts, to make ends meet for her family.
The railway porter respectfully places her license plate to her forehead in an apparent gesture of gratitude for enabling her financial independence,
She is the sole breadwinner for her family of three teenagers, all now pursuing their respective education. I weighed 30 kilograms and the passengers' luggage was also 30 kilograms, but it was nowhere close to the burden of feeding three children,” Manju said addressing a gathering of women achievers at Rashtrapati Bhavan earlier this year.