In 1988, Yadav joined the Indian Railways and became Asia's first female train driver.
On March 13, 2023, she made history again by piloting the inaugural Vande Bharat Express train between Solapur and the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) in Mumbai.
Surekha Yadav, Asia’s first woman loco pilot, is set to retire on 30 September 2025 after 36 years of service.