Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi

LUCKNOW: In a powerful testament to India’s civil-military synergy, General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of the Army Staff, has formally commended the Indian Railways for its outstanding support during Operation Sindoor, a high-priority national mission.In a letter addressed to Satish Kumar, chairman and CEO of the Railway Board, General Dwivedi praised the Railways’ rapid and coordinated response, particularly noting the placement of a rake for ammunition transport from the Central Ammunition Depot (CAD) near Pulgaon, Maharashtra, within just 24 hours of the Army’s request. This swift action, he wrote, “set a new benchmark in military-civil cooperation and mutual trust.”“Indian Railways has always backed the Indian Army in any national emergency, and it was reaffirmed during Operation Sindoor,” General Dwivedi stated in his letter dated August 14, 2025.The letter also highlighted the enduring partnership between the Indian Army and Indian Railways as a cornerstone of national preparedness. While the entire Railways team was appreciated, 16 officers were singled out for their pivotal roles in facilitating troop and logistics movement.Among those honoured were – Railway Board Officers: Satyam Prakash, Happy Walia, Ravi Jain, and Neeraj Maurya. Zonal Leaders: Afzal Karim Shamsi (North Western Railway), Madhukar Roat (Northern Railway), and Rajesh Kumar Mandal (Northeast Frontier Railway). Notable IRTS and IRSME Officers: Dhirendra Kumar Verma (1996 batch, NCR zone), J Sanjay Kumar (2015 batch, Sr DOM Jhansi), and Rahul Shukla (2011 IRSME, Sr DME Jhansi). Divisional Operational Managers: Uchit Singhal (Jammu), Rahul Albela (Ambala), Sunil Kumar (Khurda), Gurusharan Pathak (Ferozepur), Lokesh Kumar Singh (Jodhpur), and Md Rashid Nadeem (AOM Coaching, Asansol).General Dwivedi concluded his message by extending best wishes to Indian Railways for continued excellence and growth in future endeavors.Speaking to TOI, Dilip Kumar, Executive Director of Information & Publicity at the Railway Board, said, “This recognition not only highlights the operational readiness of Indian Railways but also reinforces the strength of India’s civil-military collaboration in times of national need.”