In a landmark achievement for India’s mining and construction equipment sector, an all-women team from Larsen & Toubro’s Construction & Mining Machinery business (L&T CMB) has successfully commissioned a Komatsu HD785-7, a 100-ton dump truck, at Tata Steel’s Noamundi iron ore mine in Jharkhand.
This is the first time in the country that a machine of such scale and complexity has been assembled, tested, and commissioned entirely by women technicians. The milestone underscores L&T’s efforts to foster gender inclusivity and empower women in traditionally male-dominated industries.
The 1,200-horsepower Komatsu HD785-7 is among the largest in its class and comes equipped with advanced features such as variable horsepower control, automatic retard speed control, and KOMTRAX Plus telematics. Despite operational challenges posed by heavy monsoon rains, the commissioning was completed within six days, involving critical tasks such as axle mounting, hydraulic integration, and system synchronisation.
The machine was ceremonially handed over to Tata Steel with an all-women operator crew taking charge, ensuring continuity in this milestone initiative.
L&T CMB’s commissioning team comprised Alisha Jerai, Anamika Kerai, Banashree Mondal, Monorama Banerjee, Nutan Bobanga, Priyanka Biswas, Ruby Sharma, Sanjana Sarkar, Sasi Kumari Mahato, and Soma Karmakar. Their accomplishment highlights the company’s structured training ecosystem, which blends rigorous technical instruction with mentorship and practical exposure.
Lauding the achievement, Arvind K Garg, Advisor to the L&T CMD, said: “It’s moments like this that remind us — when given an opportunity, women don’t just break barriers. They step forward, take ownership and simply walk over them. What this team has achieved here is more than commissioning a mammoth machine. It is a quiet triumph that will be remembered as a turning point in the mining sector.”
The Komatsu HD785-7 will now be deployed to haul iron ore at Tata Steel’s Noamundi mine, symbolising not just technological advancement but also a defining moment for gender inclusivity in the industry.