It was a moment of great pride and happiness for the family members of V. Selvaraj, who piloted Pandiyan Superfast Express on its golden jubilee celebration day.
The railway employee, who has put in 26 years of service, is the third generation loco-pilot to drive the same train in the last 50 years.
His maternal grandfather, Sankara Subbu Naidu, who retired in 1974, operated the steam engine. His father, Venkatraman had operated both steam and diesel engines of the same train. Now, Mr. Selvaraj, who piloted diesel locomotives, is operating electric locomotive. “I feel proud and elated,” he said.
“It appears as if the sound of the running train is like music to the ears of the members of this family,” Madurai MP Su. Venkatesan quipped after meeting them.
S. Babu Rajendran, son of Sankara Subbu Naidu, fondly recalls his younger days when he handed over dinner to his father at the platform before he himself joined the railway service.
