NE BUSINESS BUREAU
CHENNAI, OCT 7
Southern Railway celebrated the 70th Railway Week with great enthusiasm and recognition of excellence, hosting the ‘Vishisht Rail Seva Puraskar 2025’ award ceremony at Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Arangam, ICF, Chennai on Tuesday.
R.N. Singh, General Manager, Southern Railway, presided over the ceremony as Chief Guest and presented Efficiency Shields and Individual Awards to outstanding officers and staff for their meritorious service and contribution to the organisation’s success.
- General Manager honours top-performing officers and staff with ‘Vishisht Rail Seva Puraskar 2025’; Palakkad Division bags Overall Efficiency Shield
- Runners-up: Chennai Division & Thiruvananthapuram Division
- Best Maintained Train (West Coast Express – Palakkad Division), Best Training Institute (Zonal Electric Traction Training Centre, Avadi), and Best Railway School (RHS Golden Rock).
Shri R. N. Singh, General Manager, Southern Railway, presented the Overall Efficiency Shield to Palakkad Division, received by Shri Madhukar Roat, DRM/Palakkad, along with the team of branch officers. 🏆
Palakkad Division emerged as a top performer, bagging a total of 10… pic.twitter.com/WLY4BejHTS
— Southern Railway (@GMSRailway) October 7, 2025
In his address, Shri Singh congratulated the awardees for their exceptional dedication and performance, lauding their role in strengthening Southern Railway’s operational efficiency and service quality. He highlighted that Southern Railway has emerged as a frontrunner in infrastructure upgrades, project commissioning, sectional speed enhancement, introduction of modern coaches, and passenger amenities.
“The awardees are the pride of Southern Railway. Their hard work, commitment, and innovation continue to inspire us all to aim higher,” said the General Manager, motivating employees to sustain excellence in every sphere.
A video presentation showcasing the achievements of Southern Railway in 2024–2025 was also screened during the ceremony.
The event saw the presence of Principal Chief Mechanical Engineer & Additional General Manager Mahesh, Principal Chief Personnel Officer Harikrishnan, other Principal Heads of Departments, Divisional Railway Managers from all six divisions, and a large gathering of officers and staff.
The celebration concluded with a vibrant cultural programme featuring music and classical dance performances by railway staff and their wards, symbolizing the spirit of unity and pride within the Southern Railway family.
Award Highlights
- Overall Efficiency Shield (Winner): Palakkad Division
- Runners-up: Chennai Division & Thiruvananthapuram Division
- Total Shields Awarded: 38
- Individual Awardees: 105 (22 Officers & 81 Staff)
- Student Merit Awards: 2 Railway School toppers (Class X & XII)
Key recognitions included Best Maintained Train (West Coast Express – Palakkad Division), Best Training Institute (Zonal Electric Traction Training Centre, Avadi), and Best Railway School (RHS Golden Rock).
Palakkad Division also led in multiple categories, winning the Manpower Planning Efficiency Shield, Rail Madad, and Electrical Energy Conservation Shield.
The event reinforced Southern Railway’s commitment to “service with excellence” and inspired its workforce to strive for even greater achievements in the coming years.
