Chenab Rail Bridge Engineer Inspires Young Scientists At CSIR-IICT
IICT Director Dr D. Srinivasa Reddy described her achievement as a symbol of engineering excellence, perseverance and leadership.
Hyderabad: From a small village in Andhra Pradesh to playing a pivotal role in building the world's highest railway arch bridge, Prof G. Madhavi Latha's journey has become an inspiration to aspiring scientists and engineers across the country. Her inspiring story was highlighted at CSIR-IICT here on Wednesday.
The geotechnical engineering expert from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, delivered the Foundation Day Lecture at the 83rd Foundation Day celebrations of the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT), where she encouraged young researchers to embrace failure and pursue science with passion.
Madhavi. Latha said, “Work with passion, without expectations, and never be afraid of failures.” She stressed that setbacks were an integral part of scientific discovery and urged young researchers to remain committed to excellence.
Delivering a lecture, “Bridging the Difficult Terrain”, she shared her experiences of solving complex geotechnical challenges during the construction of the record-setting Chenab Bridge. She highlighted how scientific innovation, perseverance, planning and teamwork helped transform a difficult engineering dream into reality.
For nearly 17 years, she served as geotechnical consultant for the landmark project, providing expertise in slope stabilisation, foundation design and rock engineering that enabled engineers to overcome the challenges posed by one of the world's most difficult terrains.
IICT Director Dr D. Srinivasa Reddy described her achievement as a symbol of engineering excellence, perseverance and leadership.
Prof. Latha's own journey has become an inspiration.
Hailing from Yedugundlapadu in Andhra Pradesh and educated entirely in government institutions, she went on to become a gold medallist from NIT Warangal and earned her PhD from IIT Madras. Her pioneering research in geotechnical engineering, rock mechanics, geosynthetics and sustainable infrastructure has earned her several honours, including the Best Woman Geotechnical Researcher Award, the SERB POWER Fellowship and recognition among India's Top 75 Women in STEM.
