In a quiet yet powerful breakthrough, 55-year-old Sarita Yolmo has shattered a 146-year barrier by becoming the first woman Traveling Ticket Examiner (TTE) on the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR), the beloved narrow-gauge “Toy Train” that began chugging through the Himalayas in 1881.
A Darjeeling native educated up to Class 12 at Sonada High School, Yolmo joined the Northeast Frontier Railway in 1991 at the Kurseong printing press’s money value section. After its closure, she briefly worked at the Tindharia railway hospital before transferring to New Jalpaiguri in 2019—progressing from announcer and enquiry counter roles to ticket checker on broad-gauge trains.
Her landmark DHR assignment started on February 5, 2026, overseeing the solo 10-hour journey from New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling. “I was thrilled and equally tense,” she shared. “As the only TTE, taking care of passengers for 10 hours was a new episode for me.” Passengers, surprised and delighted by her uniform, spark conversations and photo moments. “Human bonds form,” she smiles.
Her husband, retired senior section engineer Dawa Yolmo, calls her a committed employee, mother, and wife facing fresh responsibilities with grace. DHR Director Rishab Choudhury wished her success.
