https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

The Lady Officer, Who Moved More than 1 Million Migrants Through 700+ Shramik Trains, Conferred National Award

IRTS officer Suhani Mishra has been conferred the National Award for Outstanding Service 2021 by Indian Railways for managing the movement of over one million migrants through special Shramik Trains during Lockdown 1.
Indian Masterminds Stories

When the first wave of Covid 19 hit India and lockdown was clamped to prevent the spread of the virus, the country witnessed a humanitarian crisis when stranded migrant workers started walking back to their villages in thousands. It was a huge challenge before the government to facilitate the migrants’ journey back home by arranging for transport.

During such difficult times, Ms. Suhani Mishra, an Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS) officer posted as Senior Divisional Operations Manager in Mumbai Central Western Railways, played a vital role in running 720 Shramik (labour) trains during the initial phase of lockdown. Her dedication and the way she carried out the operation on war footing was recently rewarded, as she was conferred the prestigious National Award for Outstanding Service 2021 by Ministry of Railways, Government of India.

PLANNING THE BIGGEST EVACUATION OF LABOURS

Ms. Suhani Mishra was in charge of both suburban and urban railways and had to manage the evacuation process of lakhs of labourers at a time when Covid cases were increasing at a very high rate. Being extra cautious about the whole situation, she started acting up fast and collected data of all the people who wanted to travel to their native places at a very early stage.

Running the operation on a war footing

She played a vital role in the process of issuance of automated train notifications through basic Microsoft tools. This helped in promptly generating a large number of notifications and reducing the turnaround time after receiving the demand for a train from the state government. As a result, WR Headquarter notified the maximum number of Shramik trains (Total 1234) in the country. This resulted in quick turnaround time in notifying trains which helped sister agencies and departments to provide tickets, meals, and quarantine facilities for migrants.

Number of trains waiting for departure

Additionally, the rake management was planned meticulously to ensure quick turnaround of trains taking BPC stipulations into account. The coordination with other Divisions, foreign railways and the Railway Board was maintained by her throughout this period to ensure optimum rake utilization for maximizing evacuation of shramiks.

While speaking to Indian Masterminds, she said, “The situation was very tough as we had to plan multiple things to run Shramik Trains every day and the average of departing trains was increasing day by day. It came to a point that I was locked inside my room alone and even my food was being dropped by my driver. I could only sleep for three hours in a day and the rest of the time I used to plan the operation of hundreds of trains while following the Covid protocols.”

PROVIDING SUPPLIES TO DISTRESSED

In order to overcome the obstacles of transporting essential commodities through the road network, she reached out to producers and manufacturers of essential commodities and offered railway parcel services. As a result, on Wester Railways, a total of 312 dedicated Covid Parcel special trains (March -1, April – 115, May-143, June – 53) were run from the date of imposition of nationwide lockdown till June 30, 2020.

Providing supplies through IRTS SETU

Ms. Mishra went beyond the call of duty during adversity to answer queries from distressed migrants and, also, coordinated with the appropriate agencies to provide them relief through a platform called SETU. With the help of the department, she helped a three-and-a-half-year-old autistic child with camel milk and, also, assisted a 70-year-old lady named Leelavati after her sad life story came to light.

Helping 70 year old Leelavati by paying her train tickets and providing a personal car to drop her to the station

At the same time, she had also taken utmost care of the workforce under her control for prevention of spread of infection and all covid protocol was ensured for safety of staff and family. Her self-motivated discharge of duties and exceptional sense of responsibility was recognized by the Government of India and she was conferred the National Award for Outstanding Service 2021.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
Mazagaon Dock
Strategic Expansion: Mazagon Dock to Acquire 51% Stake in Sri Lanka’s Colombo Dockyard with $53 Million Investment
Sujata Saunik
Race Heats Up for Maharashtra Chief Secretary Post as Sujata Saunik Nears Retirement — Who Will Succeed Her? Top Contenders Revealed
Indian Bureaucracy News Latest
IRSEE Joyanta Chakraborty Repatriated for Promotion; Dr Deepak Bagla Appointed Mission Director of Atal Innovation Mission
SBI_resized
SBI Strengthens Co-Lending Partnership with Paisalo to Reach More Small Businesses in Tier 2, 3 and Rural India
Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri
Rudrasagar Blowout Contained: Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri Commends ONGC & International Experts for Swift, Safe Resolution
RCB Parade Stampede
RCB Victory Stampede: Suspended IPS Dayananda Deposes, Inquiry Report Expected Soon; Public Urged to Submit Evidence
ONGC_resized
ONGC Successfully Caps Rudrasagar Gas Well Blowout After 15 Days of Intensive Effort, Global Experts End Crisis
406951-supreme-court-of-india-sc
Limited Manpower: SC Stays MP High Court Order Mandating SP-Led Supervision of Serious Crime Probes, Asks State to Submit SOP
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Ex IRS C Rajendiran
Ex-IRS Officer C. Rajendiran Illuminates Thirukkural’s Timeless Wisdom in Exclusive Interview
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-25 at 5.07
Why Has the DGCA Fined Air India Rs 5 Crore Since Privatisation?
Former Diplomat Ashok Sajjanhar
Iran Is Weakest Now, Needs a Face-Saver
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
Sanish Kumar Singh
“If you want it badly enough, you’ll find a way,” Sanish Kumar Singh AIR 8, UPSC IFS 2024 
The real interview, he says, was much more humane. “The board was conversational. The chairman opened...
Raju Wagh
When the Battlefield Became a Study Room and a Dream Took Flight
Amid IED blasts and anti-Maoist operations in Bastar, CRPF Commando Raju Wagh taught village kids, studied...
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-18 at 10.31
"I Just Wanted to Breathe Again": The Man Who Fought Death and Made It to UPSC
Struck by COVID at the peak of his UPSC prep, Devanand Telgote spent months on ECMO, unsure he'd live,...
Social Media
Shailaja Chandra
“Nanis & Dadis Have a Brain”: Former IAS Officer Shailaja Chandra Weighs in on 1970s vs 2025 Life Debate - “This Generation Has It Better”
Responding to Viral Post on Middle-Class Struggles, Ex-Bureaucrat Offers Candid Reflection on Then and...
Tigress Arrowhead
The End of an Era: A Queen Falls - Ranthambore’s Iconic Tigress Arrowhead (T-84) Passes Away at 14, Hours After Daughter’s Relocation
Ranthambore mourns the loss of one of its fiercest and most beloved tigers, Arrowhead, the granddaughter...
Screenshot 2025-06-13 194001
Wild Elephant Disrupts Riverside Picnic, Sparks Debate on Human Encroachment; IFS Parveen Kumar Shares the Video - Watch Here!
Mr. Kaswan used the viral video, which has garnered over 1.5 lakh views, to highlight the risks of human...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
Ex IRS C Rajendiran
Ex-IRS Officer C. Rajendiran Illuminates Thirukkural’s Timeless Wisdom in Exclusive Interview
Mazagaon Dock
Strategic Expansion: Mazagon Dock to Acquire 51% Stake in Sri Lanka’s Colombo Dockyard with $53 Million Investment
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Ex IRS C Rajendiran
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-25 at 5.07
Former Diplomat Ashok Sajjanhar
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT