New Delhi, June 7 -- As Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Chenab Bridge-the world's tallest railway bridge-on Friday, a key figure behind the engineering feat quietly came into the spotlight-Dr G Madhavi Latha, a geotechnical engineering expert and professor at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru.

Dr Latha was associated with the project for 17 years, working closely with Afcons, the bridge's main contractor, as a geotechnical consultant, according to an NDTV report.

Her expertise was instrumental in navigating the extreme terrain and unpredictable geological conditions that challenged the construction of the bridge, which forms part of the ambitious Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link (USBRL).

The Chenab ...