Indian Railways Highest Honour for Chandana Sinha

Indian Railways has honoured Chandana Sinha, a dedicated officer of the Railway Protection Force (RPF), with its highest railway award. She is being recognised for her silent but impactful work in stopping child trafficking at railway stations and trains. Her efforts have saved hundreds of vulnerable children and highlighted the Railways’ crucial role in protecting minors in transit.

Why in News?

RPF officer Chandana Sinha has received Indian Railways highest award. She is being honored for her exceptional work in preventing child trafficking and rescuing children.

Who Is Chandana Sinha?

• Chandana Sinha is a senior officer in the Railway Protection Force. Known for her ground level approach, she has worked extensively on child safety across railway premises.
• Instead of focusing only on law enforcement, she prioritized identification, rescue and rehabilitation of trafficked children.
• Her work involved coordination with NGOs, child welfare committees and state authorities, making her a key figure in India’s fight against child trafficking through rail networks.

Importance of Railway Child Trafficking Prevention

• Railway stations and trains are often used by traffickers because of high passenger volumes and anonymity.
• Thousands of children run away or are trafficked every year using trains.
• Recognizing this, the RPF plays a frontline role in detecting suspicious movement of minors.
• Officers like Chandana Sinha strengthened surveillance, trained personnel to identify red flags and ensured timely intervention before children could be exploited.

Key Contributions of Chandana Sinha

• Chandana Sinha focused on early identification of trafficked children, especially those travelling alone or under suspicious supervision.
• She helped institutionalize child-friendly protocols within the RPF, ensuring rescued children were treated as victims, not offenders.
• Her initiatives improved coordination between railways and child protection agencies, leading to faster rescues and safer handover to welfare institutions.
• These efforts significantly reduced trafficking cases on several high-risk routes.

About Indian Railways Highest Award

• The award conferred on Chandana Sinha is Indian Railways highest honour, given for exceptional service and outstanding contribution.
• It recognizes not just operational excellence but also humanitarian impact.
• By awarding an RPF officer for child protection work, Indian Railways has highlighted social responsibility as a core institutional value, alongside safety and efficiency.

Broader Impact on Child Protection

• Chandana Sinha’s work has helped position Indian Railways as a key stakeholder in child protection.
• Her approach demonstrated how transport systems can actively prevent crimes like trafficking.
• The recognition is expected to motivate other railway personnel to adopt similar practices, strengthening India’s fight against human trafficking, child labour and exploitation.

About RPF

• The Railway Protection Force (RPF) functions under the Ministry of Railways.
• It is responsible for protecting railway property and passengers.
• Indian Railways collaborates with NGOs and Child Welfare Committees to rescue trafficked and runaway children.
• Such initiatives are part of India’s commitments under child protection laws.

Key Summary at a Glance

Question

Q. Chandana Sinha, recently in news, is associated with which force?

A. CISF
B. BSF
C. Railway Protection Force
D. CRPF