♦ Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw conferred the 70th Ati Vishisht Rail Seva Puraskar 2025 on 100 railway officials and presented 26 shields to the best-performing railway zones in New Delhi on 9 January 2026. The prestigious awards were given in recognition of exemplary service and outstanding contributions to Indian Railways. 

♦ Speaking on the occasion, Vaishnaw said the issues that persisted for years, such as coal movement and fuel availability for power plants, have been effectively resolved. 

♦ Ati VishishtRail Seva Puraskar is among the highest honours in Indian Railways, celebrating dedication, innovation, and excellence in service across the organisation. It covers a wide spectrum of contributions in innovation, operational efficiency, safety, security, revenue augmentation, timely completion of projects, excellence in sports, and other distinguished areas of service.