TIRUPATI: In the male-dominated field of JCB operators, a 21-year-old woman from Chittoor district is making her mark. Lumbika from Karlagatta village in Shanthipuram mandal of Kuppam constituency, is breaking stereotypes by confidently operating a JCB proclainer. She is said to be the only young woman in the State operating a JCB.
With passion and confidence, she run the heavy machine with ease. She is currently pursuing her second year in BA degree. In her free time, she helps her family by running a JCB in and around her village. Everyone in Shanthipuram mandal knows her name.
Her journey began by watching her father, Subramanyam, a farmer and tractor driver. Unable to see his struggles alone, she decided to step in along with her brother Srinivas. Encouraged by him, she first learned to drive a tractor and later mastered the JCB.
“I am the second among four siblings—one brother and three sisters,” Lumbika told TNIE. “While my sisters were not interested, I was passionate from childhood. To help my father, Subramanyam, I joined him. I would drive a two-wheeler in my childhood days. I first learned tractor driving in just three days, and after a year, I picked up JCB operations in about a week. Now, I can handle tractors and excavators without any difficulty.”
Lumbika highlighted that “Moreover, I have gained experience in handling the tough gear levers of the JCB, which allow the machine to move in a full 360-degree rotation. With practice, it became easier for me to operate the vehicle carefully and with confidence.”
She added, “My parents never treated me differently because I’m a girl. My mother, Lakshmamma, encouraged me, along with my brother Mohan Kalyana, who is also a JCB operator. As a family, we own four tractors and one JCB.” For now, she wants to continue working as a JCB operator. “In the future, I’ll continue this work if my in-laws allow it. Otherwise, I’ll choose another job,” she said.
Subramanyam, proudly shared, “From childhood, Lumbika used to accompany me during ploughing and showed great interest in driving. She never made a single mistake, whether on the tractor or JCB, in the last six years. I allowed her to operate JCB only within Karlagatta and the nearby villages to ensure her safety.”