New Delhi:** In recognition of their exemplary service and outstanding contributions, **100 dedicated railway employees and officers** will be honored with the prestigious **70th Distinguished Railway Service Awards 2025**. The award ceremony will be held on **9 January 2026** at the **India International Convention & Expo Centre (Yashobhoomi), Dwarka, New Delhi**.
The awards will be presented by **Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister of Railways, Communications & Electronics and IT**, to the selected railway personnel. The ceremony will also be attended by **State Ministers V. Somanna (Railways & Water Resources) and Ravneet Singh (Railways & Food Processing Industries)**, **Railway Board Chairman & CEO Satish Kumar**, board members, and **General Managers from various railway zones and production units**.
### Award Details
A total of **100 awardees** have been selected for their exceptional contributions in areas including **innovation, operational efficiency, safety, revenue enhancement, timely completion of projects, sporting excellence, and other fields of service**.
**Encouraging Innovation and Efficiency:**
* **17 officers and employees** will be recognized for implementing innovative processes and methods that improved productivity, reduced costs, promoted import substitution, and optimized resource utilization, thereby strengthening overall efficiency in Indian Railways.
**Valor and Selfless Service:**
* **22 railway personnel** will be honored for acts of exceptional courage and dedication, protecting lives and railway property, often at personal risk, and demonstrating outstanding commitment to public service.
**Revenue Enhancement and Vigilance:**
* **14 officers and employees** will be awarded for their remarkable efforts in increasing railway revenue and effectively curbing fare evasion, theft, and other irregularities, ensuring financial discipline and safeguarding revenue.
**Operational Excellence and Asset Protection:**
* **19 officers and employees** will be recognized for exemplary work in improving railway operations, enhancing safety and security, ensuring better maintenance, and promoting optimal use and protection of railway assets.
**Timely Completion of Key Projects:**
* **16 officers and employees** will be honored for completing critical railway infrastructure projects within record timelines, contributing significantly to capacity enhancement and operational performance.
**Excellence in Other Areas:**
* **10 officers and employees** will be recognized for outstanding achievements beyond the defined categories, reflecting professional excellence, dedication, and impactful contributions across various functional areas of Indian Railways.
**Celebrating Sporting Excellence:**
* **Two athletes** achieving national and international recognition and bringing laurels to Indian Railways will be awarded the Distinguished Railway Service Award 2025.
### Beyond Individual Recognition
* In addition to individual awards, **26 railway zones** demonstrating the best overall performance in various categories will receive **shields**, recognizing their achievements and collective excellence.
The awardees include personnel who played a **crucial role in ensuring safe and smooth railway operations during large-scale events like the Kumbh Mela**, officers who maintained seamless operations under challenging circumstances, and teams implementing **advanced ballast cleaning machines**, improving track safety, passenger experience, and long-term maintenance efficiency.
The awards ceremony underscores Indian Railways’ commitment to recognizing **dedication, professionalism, and exemplary service**, while celebrating the collective efforts of its workforce in building a **safer, more efficient, and passenger-focused railway system**.