Latest news with #G.MadhaviLatha
Economic Times
5 hours ago
- Science
- Economic Times
From small Andhra village to world record: Anand Mahindra salutes woman professor behind the Chenab railway bridge
G. Madhavi Latha and Anand Mahindra Industrialist Anand Mahindra in his Monday Motivation posts applauds excellence in different fields, but this time, his admiration spotlighted a quiet trailblazer whose contribution shaped a national engineering marvel. 'An accomplished geotechnical engineer and Professor at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, she played a pivotal role in the construction of the Chenab Railway Bridge. A commitment that she fulfilled over 17 years,' Mahindra wrote in a heartfelt post, referring to Dr. G. Madhavi Latha. He concluded with what has now become a signature phrase of his motivational posts: 'Dr. G. Madhavi Latha Garu is my #MondayMotivation.'And rightly so. As India celebrated the inauguration of the Chenab Bridge—the world's highest railway bridge—on June 6, the focus naturally fell on the grand structure: 359 metres above the riverbed, towering even 35 metres higher than the Eiffel Tower. But for Mahindra and others who looked beneath the surface, it was a moment to honour the people behind the achievement—especially the unsung engineers and scientists like Dr. Latha who laboured for years behind the scenes. — anandmahindra (@anandmahindra) The Chenab Bridge, a Rs 1,486 crore project and part of the ambitious Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link (USBRL), has been hailed as one of the most challenging feats in Indian railway history. The region's rugged Himalayan terrain, unstable slopes, and extreme weather posed daunting challenges. Dr. Latha, a specialist in geotechnical engineering, served as a consultant for 17 years, advising on structural stability, slope safety, and the optimal placement of rock anchors that would keep the bridge's foundations secure. Her academic journey is just as inspiring. Hailing from a small village in Andhra Pradesh, she completed her in Civil Engineering from JNTU in 1992, followed by an in Geotechnical Engineering from NIT Warangal—where she topped her class with a gold medal. She then earned her PhD from IIT Madras in 2000. Today, she serves as a professor at IISc expertise was so integral to the project that she authored a paper on the bridge's complex geotechnical challenges, published in the Indian Geotechnical Journal. Dr. Latha's contributions have earned her national recognition, including the Best Woman Geotechnical Researcher Award in 2021 and a spot among India's 'Top 75 Women in STEAM' in Naidu, former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, also praised her contribution. 'Another Telugu daughter has made India proud,' he posted on X, celebrating her 17-year journey of relentless commitment. He also commended the entire team of engineers and workers for overcoming the harsh landscape and unpredictable climate of Jammu and makes the story even more remarkable is the project's humble beginning. Before even a single crane could be brought in, access to the site had to be carved out—literally. Initially, engineers and workers used mules and horses to navigate the treacherous terrain. Temporary tracks were laid and eventually replaced with 11 km and 12 km of permanent access roads on the north and south banks, respectively. These roads enabled the transportation of construction equipment and materials to the remote site. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the bridge, walking across the towering steel arch while waving the national flag, it symbolised more than infrastructure—it was the realisation of an audacious dream to link Kashmir to the rest of the nation via rail. And for Anand Mahindra, it was also a moment to reflect on the persistence, intellect, and patriotism of individuals like Dr. G. Madhavi Latha, who made it possible.
India Gazette
6 hours ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
Andhra Pradesh CM Naidu congratulates Prof G Madhavi Latha, engineer behind Chenab Rail Bridge
Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh) [India], June 9 (ANI): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu congratulated Professor G. Madhavi Latha for the world's highest railway bridge over the Chenab River. CM Naidu lauded the engineer for her 17 years of dedication and sacrifice in building the bridge. Sharing a post on X, Chandrababu Naidu wrote, 'Another Telugu daughter has made India proud! I salute Professor G. Madhavi Latha Garu, one of the brilliant minds behind the world's highest railway bridge over the Chenab River, inaugurated by Hon'ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji on June 6. Hailing from a small village in Andhra Pradesh, she dedicated 17 years of hard work and sacrifice to build this architectural marvel for the nation.' The Chief Minister also congratulated the entire team of engineers and construction workers behind the Chenab bridge. 'I congratulate the entire team of engineers and construction workers on completing this unprecedented project, despite the challenging terrain and harsh weather conditions. Your contributions towards nation-building are inspiring,' he added. On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the world's highest railway arch bridge over the Chenab River. The architectural marvel, Chenab Rail Bridge, is 359 metres above the river. It is a 1,315-metre-long steel arch bridge engineered to withstand seismic and wind conditions. A key impact of the bridge will be in enhancing connectivity between Jammu and Srinagar. It will officially connect the Kashmir Valley with the rest of India via rail for the first time in history. The Vande Bharat Express train moving on the bridge takes about three hours to travel between Katra and Srinagar, reducing the existing travel time by two to three hours. PM Modi on Friday flagged off two Vande Bharat Express trains from Katra Railway Station, directly connecting the Jammu division with Kashmir. This marks a major milestone in Jammu and Kashmir's railway connectivity. The Prime Minister also inaugurated the Anji Khad Bridge, which is India's first cable-stayed railway bridge. Along with this, he dedicated the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project to the nation. The 272-km-long USBRL project, which includes 36 tunnels (spanning 119 km) and 943 bridges, was constructed with an estimated Rs 43,780 crore. (ANI)
India.com
2 days ago
- Politics
- India.com
Meet G. Madhavi Latha, woman who played important role in construction of Chenab bridge, not IIT, NIT, once wanted to become...
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated the world's highest railway bridge over the Chenab river, which was completed at a cost of Rs 1,486 crore in more than eight years. This bridge is a remarkable feat in the fields of engineering and technology. However, many of you do not know that the key contributor behind this monumental project is a woman. Yes, you heard it right! She is a professor from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, who dedicated 17 years to its development as a geotechnical consultant. Her name is Professor G Madhavi Latha. Northern Railways also brought in rock engineering expert Dr. G. Madhavi Latha, who played a crucial role in planning, designing, and constructing the bridge structure, addressing the challenges caused by the terrain and slopes in collaboration with the contractor company, Afcons. Currently, she works as an HAG professor at IISc. Speaking about her educational qualification, Madhavi earned a bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Kakinada in 1992. According to the media reports, she secured first class with distinction. Dr. G. Madhavi Latha earned a gold medal during her studies at the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Warangal, where she specialized in Geotechnical Engineering. She went on to complete her Ph.D. in Geotechnical Engineering from IIT Madras in the year 2000, further cementing her academic excellence in the field. 'Madhavi's research interests center around the fundamental aspects of soil reinforcement and understanding the shear mechanisms at a micro level. Her recent work on this subject area is to use image-based techniques to understand the micro-topographical surface changes in geosynthetics sheared by sands and relating them to the macro level strength improvement,' reads the official website of the IISc. 'Other topics explored in this area include seismic response of geosynthetic reinforced retaining walls and slopes through shaking table studies. Madhavi also maintains an active interest in rock engineering, including numerical modelling of jointed rock masses and stability analysis of rock slopes and tunnels,' it further reads. Before joining IISc, Madhavi was an Assistant Professor at IIT Guwahati for a year (2003-2004). She even worked as a postdoctoral researcher at IISc from 2002-2003. Over the years, Dr. G. Madhavi Latha has been the recipient of numerous prestigious accolades recognizing her contributions to geotechnical engineering and education. In 2007, she was honoured with the 'Teacher Extraordinaire' award by the Builders Association of India, Mysore Centre. The same year, she received the Best Paper Award at the First Indian Young Geotechnical Engineers Conference (FIYGEC-2007) for her research paper titled 'Comparison of Different Failure Criteria for Modelling Jointed Rocks.' Earlier, in 2002, the Indian Geotechnical Society awarded her the Best Paper Award for her publication 'Finite Element Analysis of Strip Footing Supported on Geocell Reinforced Sand Beds' in the Indian Geotechnical Journal.
