Indian Railways on 9 January 2026 honoured 100 officers and employees with the 70th Ati Vishisht Rail Seva Puraskar and presented 26 shields to best performing railway zones at a national ceremony held at the India International Convention and Expo Centre Yashobhoomi in New Delhi.
The awards were conferred by Union Minister for Railways Information and Broadcasting and Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw in the presence of Minister of State for Railways and Jal Shakti V Somanna Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Railway Board Satish Kumar members of the Railway Board and general managers of railway zones and production units.
Addressing the gathering Ashwini Vaishnaw said Indian Railways must rise to an entirely new level to realise the vision of Viksit Bharat and Viksit Railways by 2047. He congratulated railway employees for their dedication and said their collective efforts have enabled the organisation to overcome long standing challenges expand capacity improve efficiency and deliver major infrastructure and operational milestones.
The minister said sustained track construction and capacity expansion have strengthened the network while special trains operated during peak seasons such as Diwali Chhath Christmas and summer ensured smoother passenger movement and set new benchmarks in crowd management.
He announced an ambitious reform roadmap for 2026 titled fifty two weeks fifty two reforms under which one major reform will be implemented every week across key areas including customer service maintenance production quality management health systems and operations. He said structured workshops are being held to redefine standards identify bottlenecks and implement time bound action plans with active participation from officers across departments.
He outlined six core resolutions that will guide Indian Railways in the coming phase:
First, a decisive push for systemic reforms, with time-bound changes across customer service, maintenance, production, quality, and health systems, driven by accountability and execution.
Second, deep and widespread adoption of technology, innovation, and artificial intelligence, including new-generation rolling stock, advanced track systems, modern signalling, and smarter maintenance practices to improve reliability and productivity.
Third, a fundamental upgrade of maintenance standards, acknowledging that moving away from outdated practices may cause short-term discomfort but is essential for long-term safety and performance.
Fourth, a sharp and uncompromising focus on safety, with the aim of dramatically reducing consequential accidents through better training, technology deployment, disciplined operations, and daily monitoring at all levels of leadership.
Fifth, transforming training and talent development, making continuous skill upgradation mandatory, linking training to career progression, and using modern tools such as simulators and digital platforms to build a highly competent workforce.
Sixth, the complete eradication of the colonial mindset, urging officials to embrace openness to new ideas, empower younger officers and field staff, promote Indian solutions, and take pride in Made-in-India achievements that are now being accepted globally.
He also highlighted the importance of engaging startups and innovators, encouraging railway employees to contribute reform ideas, and ensuring that successful innovations are scaled across the network. Drawing parallels with major national reforms, he said Indian Railways must show similar courage and confidence in change. He said that with a young workforce, transparent systems, and a reform-oriented mindset, Indian Railways is well positioned to become a global benchmark and a key pillar in India’s journey towards becoming a developed nation by 2047.
On the occasion, a commemorative coin marking 100 years of electrification in Indian Railways was also launched.
Addressing the gathering, V. Somanna congratulated railway employees and officers, describing Indian Railways as one of the world’s largest service organisations and crediting the Rail Parivar for ensuring safe and comfortable travel for millions every day.
He noted that rail connectivity has expanded to regions such as Jammu & Kashmir and the North East, citing major engineering achievements that have strengthened national integration. He also referred to Amrit Bharat and Namo Bharat trains for improved connectivity, and said the upcoming Vande Bharat Sleeper will enhance long-distance travel.
Highlighting progress in railway electrification and environmental sustainability, he said Indian Railways is moving towards greener operations. Sharing his experience from field visits, he praised the dedication and commitment of railway staff at all levels, calling them the backbone of the organisation.
In his address, Satish Kumar said that Indian Railways has undergone rapid transformation, emerging as a modern, safe, and passenger-centric organisation. Emphasising that safety remains the highest priority, he spoke about continuous improvements through modern signalling systems, electronic interlocking, elimination of unmanned level crossings, enhanced track monitoring, and related safety measures. On freight operations, he said Indian Railways is setting new benchmarks through door-to-door and multimodal logistics, contributing meaningfully to the nation’s economic progress.
He also recalled the completion of a century of railway electrification, describing it as a proud milestone in the journey of Indian Railways, commemorated through special initiatives. Acknowledging railway employees as the “real heroes,” he credited their discipline, dedication, and service as the backbone of this transformation.
Indian Railways confers Ati Vishisht Rail Seva Puraskar to its employees every year. These awards are given into two categories, the individual awards, as well as Shields presented to the best-performing Railway Zones. Individual awards serve as a platform to acknowledge and celebrate the dedication, hard work, and exceptional contributions of Railway personnel towards making the Indian Railways a more efficient, safe, and passenger-friendly organization. Shield awards in various categories are presented recognizing their outstanding achievements and contributions to the overall performance of the Indian Railways.
