Railway Protection Force (RPF) Inspector Chandana Sinha has been conferred the Ati Vishisht Rail Seva Puraskar, Indian Railways’ highest service honour, for her extraordinary efforts in rescuing over 150 children from trafficking and child labour in 2024. The award was presented by Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw at a ceremony in New Delhi on January 9, 2026. Sinha, posted in the Lucknow Division of Northern Railway and originally from Chhattisgarh, was recognized for her leadership in Operation Nanhe Farishte (Little Angels), an RPF initiative to safeguard vulnerable children at railway stations and on trains.

In 2024 alone, Sinha’s team intercepted 494 children, including 41 trafficked for labour exploitation, with 152 personally rescued by her and handed over to Child Welfare Committees for rehabilitation. Her work extended into 2025, where her unit saved over 1,000 children, including cases of runaways, orphans, and those lured into exploitative work. Sinha emphasized providing counseling to rescued children and their families to prevent recurrence, noting challenges like parental reluctance due to social stigma, especially for girls. She stressed that protecting vulnerable passengers, particularly children, is a core duty of railway staff.

Sinha’s approach involves keen observation of subtle distress signals—body language, mismatched stories, or children traveling with unfamiliar adults—on high-risk routes from Bihar to Punjab and Haryana. Her mostly women-led team has become a model for vigilance, transforming railway platforms into safer spaces. The award highlights not just individual rescues but the systemic impact of her methods, which include training officers and building informer networks to intercept trafficking early.

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This recognition comes amid ongoing concerns over child trafficking via India’s vast railway network, where stations serve as transit points for exploitation. Sinha’s dedication has inspired colleagues and earned praise for turning routine patrols into proactive child protection missions. Her story underscores the vital role of law enforcement in combating social evils while fulfilling Railways’ commitment to passenger safety.

As northern India faces seasonal migrations and vulnerabilities, Sinha’s honour serves as motivation for intensified efforts under Operation Nanhe Farishte. Officials hope her example will encourage more personnel to prioritize child safety, ensuring railways remain a corridor of hope rather than danger for the young and vulnerable.

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