Civil engineer Prof. G. Madhavi Latha is receiving nationwide praise for her vital contribution to the construction of the Chenab Rail Bridge, the world’s highest railway bridge, recently inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Following the inauguration, Prof. Latha was flooded with congratulatory messages from citizens who praised her achievement and expressed hope that their daughters would follow in her footsteps. However, she humbly clarified that the success of the project is a collective effort involving thousands.
In a LinkedIn post, Latha congratulated the nation and said, “The bridge is a Civil Engineering marvel. All glory of the planning, design and construction goes to Indian Railways and AFCONS.” She added, “Thousands of people have significantly contributed in different ways. There are millions of unsung heroes to whom I salute today.”
As a geotechnical consultant to AFCONS, Latha’s responsibility was to develop slope stabilization schemes and design foundations on difficult slopes. She dismissed media titles like “woman behind the mission” or “done miracles” as exaggerated. “Please don’t make me unnecessarily famous. I am one of the thousands who deserve appreciation for the Chenab bridge,” she added, requesting privacy while attending a conference in Spain.
Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu lauded her dedication, stating in a post on X: “Another Telugu daughter has made India proud! She dedicated 17 years of hard work and sacrifice to build this architectural marvel.”
Prof. Latha, hailing from a small village in Andhra Pradesh, remains an inspiration for many future engineers across India.
