Ved Prakash takes charge as Divisional Railway Manager of Ahmedabad Division

Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], July 26 (ANI): Ved Prakash, an officer of the 1998 batch of the Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS), on Saturday assumed charge as the new Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) for the Ahmedabad Division from the outgoing Divisional Railway Manager, Sudhir Kumar Sharma.

Prakash brings with him over 25 years of extensive experience across various facets of the Ministry of Railways, including railway operations, logistics, and public relations spanning print and electronic media. He holds a B.Sc. (Hons) in Geology from St. Columba College, Hazaribagh, a Certificate in Transport Economics from MDI, Gurgaon, and has completed the Management Development Program from the Railway Staff College, Vadodara.

Prior to this appointment, Prakash served as the Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to the Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw, where he played a pivotal role in daily rail operations, revenue generation, infrastructure development, and managing high-level public events and ministerial tours. His tenure included the successful planning and execution of social media engagement strategies for the Ministry of Railways and coordinating over 1000 events related to train inaugurations, dedications, and foundation stone ceremonies, including the Amrit Stations redevelopment initiative. He was instrumental in the redevelopment of Amrit Bharat Stations and the construction of 1,500 ROBs/RUBs, witnessing the participation of 40.5 lakh people (Limca Book of Records). Earlier, the first phase of the 508 Amrit Stations redevelopment program recorded an attendance of over 11 lakh people. He also successfully organised various railway project-related events on March 12, 2023, with an attendance of over 6 lakh people.

Prakash impressive career also includes significant leadership positions such as General Manager of Operations & Communication Coordinator at DFCCIL, where he was instrumental in initiating trial train operations and establishing DFCCIL brand image. As Director of Coaching at the Ministry of Railways, he efficiently managed the operation of over 10,000 trains daily, introduced several new trains and stoppages, and successfully managed passenger movement during the Kumbh Mela by running 1500 special trains. He was also honoured with the National Award by the President of India for the successful management of elections in 2018-19 for record force movement related to the successful conduct of elections.

From August 2015 to July 2018, as Director of Information & Publicity at the Ministry of Railways, Prakash developed and implemented a holistic communication strategy for Indian Railways, leading a vast team across 17 zones and 69 divisions. He successfully managed programs of the Minister of Railways, social media, information brochures, mailers, newspaper advertisements, etc., through various outreach efforts. As Program Coordinator, he managed over 100 mega programs of the Ministry, including the Rail Vikas Shivir, chaired by the Prime Minister directly and indirectly, involving over 13 lakh employees in a mega ideation camp.

Notably, during his tenure as Senior Divisional Operations Manager, Dhanbad (July 2010 - August 2015), he achieved a remarkable 100 per cent increase in divisional revenue generation from Rs 4714 crore to Rs 10031 crore and a 35 increase in freight loading volume. He also facilitated Dhanbad Division entry into the elite club of Indian Railways 100 million-tonne loading divisions.

Prakash has been honoured with several awards, including the President Award for his role in election management, the National Award for Outstanding Services in 2007, and the General Manager Award twice for outstanding performance. He has also received numerous freight efficiency and overall operational shields for best performance over several years.

Prakash diverse experience, exceptional leadership skills, and remarkable track record of enhancing operational efficiency, revenue, and public engagement will be invaluable to the Ahmedabad Division. He is known for his commitment to excellence and effective human management, skills that will undoubtedly lead the division to new heights. (ANI)

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