Patna: India’s rail minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has honoured 100 officers and employees of Indian Railways with the prestigious Ati Vishisht Rail Seva Awards 2025, recognising exceptional contributions to operational efficiency, safety and public service.
The awards were presented at a ceremony held on January 9 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. Among the recipients were two officers and six employees from East Central Railway, whose work was cited as exemplary in areas ranging from freight operations and infrastructure development to passenger safety and crime prevention.
During the event, Vaishnaw also presented shields to zonal railways and production units for outstanding performance in different fields. This year, the Safety Shield was awarded to East Central Railway for its notable achievements in ensuring passenger security and preventing criminal activity. The shield was received on behalf of the zone by the general manager, Chhatrasal Singh, and the principal chief security commissioner, Amresh Kumar.
The awardees from East Central Railway represented diverse departments and responsibilities. Mohammad Tausif Ullah, divisional traffic manager at Chopan, was recognised for significantly boosting freight loading and revenue through operational innovations. His contribution was particularly important in helping the Dhanbad division achieve a record freight loading of 188 million tonnes in the 2023–24 financial year.
Mayank Priyadarshi, assistant signal and telecommunications engineer (construction), was honoured for completing key doubling projects and improving signalling infrastructure, which enhanced both operational capacity and safety across several important routes.
Ravi Ranjan, a loco pilot, was awarded for his presence of mind in averting a potential head-on collision in August 2024 by applying emergency brakes when he noticed an oncoming passenger train on the same single-line section.
Subhash Kumar Pathak, a technician in the signal and telecommunications department, was recognised for reducing signal failures through meticulous maintenance of point machines, track circuits and signal equipment, especially at the Karela Junction yard.
Baiju Jaiswara, a train manager in the Sonpur division, was honoured for saving a passenger who fell between the platform and a moving train by quickly stopping the train, administering first aid and ensuring timely medical attention.
Manish Kumar, an inspector with the Railway Protection Force at Muzaffarpur, received the award for his sustained efforts in preventing human trafficking, rescuing children and curbing theft. Under various operations, he played a key role in rescuing hundreds of minors and safeguarding vulnerable children.
Prabhash Kumar Prabhakar, a track maintainer in the Samastipur division, was recognised for preventing a major accident by stopping a goods train after noticing smoke and overheating near a wheel caused by brake binding.
Ikramul Ansari, senior section engineer at the Gaya MEMU shed under the DDU division, was awarded for establishing and commissioning the MEMU maintenance facility and making it operational with limited manpower while training staff to handle complex technical tasks independently.
In its statement, East Central Railway said the recognition reflected its collective commitment to safety, efficiency and service excellence. The Safety Shield, in particular, was described as a testament to the zone’s sustained efforts to protect passengers and prevent crime, reinforcing public trust in the railway system.
