“Eradicating Colonial Mindset from Railways is a Priority”: Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw

New Delhi : Shri **Ashwini Vaishnaw**, Minister of Railways, Communications & Information Technology and Electronics, presented the **Distinguished Railway Service Awards 2025** to **101 railway officers** and **shields to 26 zonal railways** for outstanding performance at **Yashobhoomi, New Delhi** on Friday.

On the occasion, he urged railway employees to contribute to **Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of a developed India by 2047** and shared **six key pledges** for the workforce:

1. **Promote innovation** – encourage and adopt innovative practices across the railways.
2. **Emphasize reforms** – aim for **52 institutional reforms in 52 weeks**.
3. **Enhance track maintenance** – introduce new thinking and technology to raise standards.
4. **Elevate safety** – achieve a new level of safety to guarantee 100% secure journeys for passengers.
5. **Focus on training** – adopt modern training standards for officers and staff to meet evolving challenges.
6. **Eliminate colonial mindset** – completely remove outdated colonial approaches from railway operations.

The ceremony was attended by **Shri Satish Kumar**, Chairman & CEO of the Railway Board, other Railway Board members, and General Managers from various zones and production units. On the occasion, the Minister also **released a commemorative postal stamp** marking **100 years of railway electrification in India**.

Addressing the audience after the awards, Shri Vaishnaw congratulated all recipients for their extraordinary efforts and highlighted the **transformative progress of Indian Railways over the past decade**. He emphasized **safety, reforms, innovation**, and the need to **eradicate the colonial mindset** from the railways entirely.

In his welcome address, Railway Board Chairman Shri Satish Kumar reiterated Indian Railways’ commitment to providing **world-class travel experiences and affordable services**. Speaking at Yashobhoomi, he said that **speed, comfort, and safety** remain the top priorities, and cutting-edge technology is being integrated to enhance the passenger experience. He also lauded and congratulated all award-winning officers and staff.

The **Distinguished Railway Service Awards** are presented annually to recognize exceptional dedication, hard work, and contributions of railway personnel. Awards are given in **two categories**:

* **Individual awards** – honoring railway employees for extraordinary service, making Indian Railways more efficient, safe, and passenger-friendly.
* **Shields for best-performing zones** – recognizing overall excellence and significant contributions of railway zones across various categories.