NE RAILWAY BUREAU
CHENNAI, OCT 10
Three athletes. Five medals. Three remarkable stories of determination. Southern Railway’s Vithya Ramraj, Baranica Elangovan and R. Rajesh have turned their performances at the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, into a showcase of Indian athletic excellence — with Vithya rewriting a 42-year-old national record, Baranica securing a historic first for India in women’s pole vault, and Rajesh helping India finish on the men’s 4×400m relay podium.
- Southern Railway celebrates its champions — General Manager Subba Rao and Principal Chief Electrical Engineer Ganesh commend the athletes’ outstanding performances
- Vithya Ramraj wins three medals — gold in the women’s 4×400m relay, silver in the mixed 4×400m relay and bronze in the women’s 400m hurdles.
- A 42-year-old record falls — Vithya clocks 54.75 seconds in the 400m hurdles, surpassing P.T. Usha’s long-standing national mark of 55.42 seconds.
- Baranica Elangovan makes history — her bronze in women’s pole vault marks India’s first-ever Asian Games medal in the event.
- R. Rajesh delivers in the relay — the Southern Railway sprinter helps India secure bronze in the men’s 4×400m relay.
Their achievements have brought distinction to Southern Railway and Indian Railways, demonstrating how sporting ambition, institutional support and perseverance can combine to produce moments of national pride.
Vithya Ramraj: Three medals, one record-breaking run
Vithya Ramraj, Commercial Clerk-cum-Ticketing Supervisor in the Palakkad Division of Southern Railway, hailing from Meenakshipuram in Tamil Nadu, emerged as one of the standout performers of the Games with three medals across three events.
Her medal haul comprised:
- Gold: Women’s 4×400m relay
- Silver: Mixed 4×400m relay, alongside Manu, Poovamma and Vishal
- Bronze: Women’s 400m hurdles
Vithya’s performance in the 400m hurdles added a historic chapter to her Asian Games campaign. Clocking 54.75 seconds, she bettered the national record of 55.42 seconds set by legendary Indian athlete P.T. Usha 42 years ago. The achievement ended a record that had remained a benchmark in Indian women’s athletics for more than four decades.
It was more than a medal-winning performance: Vithya’s run demonstrated the capacity of a new generation of Indian athletes to push beyond standards that once seemed almost untouchable.
Subba Rao, General Manager, Southern Railway, appreciated Vithya and lauded her outstanding achievement in setting the national record. Ganesh, Principal Chief Electrical Engineer and President of the Southern Railway Sports Association, also commended her remarkable accomplishment.
Baranica Elangovan: A historic leap for Indian athletics
For Baranica Elangovan, the Asian Games bronze in women’s pole vault represents a breakthrough that extends beyond the medal podium.
Baranica, Senior Clerk in the Headquarters Personnel Branch and hailing from Mayiladuthurai in Tamil Nadu, won bronze in women’s pole vault, giving India its first-ever Asian Games medal in the event.
Her achievement puts Indian women’s pole vault on the Asian Games medal map for the first time and offers a significant milestone for a discipline that demands an exceptional blend of speed, strength, coordination and technical precision.
Baranica’s historic finish is a reminder that sporting breakthroughs do not always come from the most widely followed events; sometimes, one athlete’s performance opens an entirely new chapter for the country.
R. Rajesh: A relay run that carried India to the podium
R. Rajesh, Commercial Clerk-cum-Ticketing Supervisor in Southern Railway’s Tiruchchirappalli Division, played his part in India’s bronze-medal finish in the men’s 4×400m relay.
Running the anchor leg, Rajesh joined Vishal Thennarasu Kayalvizhi, Mohammed Ashfaq and Dharmveer Choudhary in India’s relay campaign. His strong final-leg effort helped the team complete its podium finish, bringing recognition to the country and Southern Railway.
In a relay, success depends not on one runner alone but on the combined strength of the quartet, precise baton exchanges and the ability to deliver under pressure. Rajesh’s contribution formed part of that collective effort, underlining the importance of teamwork in a high-stakes international competition.
Southern Railway salutes its sporting contingent
The performances of Vithya, Baranica and Rajesh reflect the depth of sporting talent within Southern Railway and Indian Railways, as well as the support provided to athletes through the Southern Railway Sports Association (SRSA).
Southern Railway also congratulated other members of its contingent who represented India at the Asian Games:
- Thowfeeq, Junior Clerk, Coaching Depot Office, Thiruvananthapuram North, Thiruvananthapuram Division
- Anamika K. A., Senior Clerk, Personnel Branch, Palakkad Division
- David, Senior Clerk, Mechanical Branch, Erode, Salem Division
Southern Railway extended its heartiest congratulations to all the athletes, their teammates, coaches and support staff.
From Vithya’s record-breaking hurdles performance to Baranica’s pioneering pole-vault medal and Rajesh’s relay contribution, the three athletes have delivered a collective message: Indian sporting progress is built not only on podium finishes but also on the courage to break records, cross new frontiers and carry the national colours with pride.