The “Kohinoor” of New Delhi Railway Station Makes History
36 Years of Dedicated Service, 19 Major Awards, Numerous Other Honours, and 1,981 Lost-and-Found Items Returned to Their Rightful Owners
“The uniform may have been taken off, but the spirit of service continues…”
New Delhi. Indian Railways is not merely about tracks, trains and stations. It is an institution deeply connected with the trust and hopes of millions of passengers. Within this vast system are individuals who go beyond the call of duty and set inspiring examples of humanity.
Shri Rakesh Kumar Sharma, retired Station Superintendent of New Delhi Railway Station, is one such inspiring personality. During nearly 36 years of dedicated railway service, he established a distinct identity through his commitment to duty, integrity and human sensitivity. Today, he is fondly described as the “Kohinoor of New Delhi Railway Station.”
His achievements include 19 major awards, besides numerous shields, trophies and honours conferred by various social, cultural and railway organisations. Most remarkably, he has successfully helped return the belongings of 1,981 passengers to their rightful owners.
A Remarkable Journey That Began in 1998
When Shri Rakesh Kumar Sharma was posted at New Delhi Railway Station in 1998, no one could have imagined that he would eventually become a name synonymous with trust for thousands of passengers.
A passenger would leave behind a bag, mobile phone, laptop, passport or cash. Rakesh Sharma never viewed such incidents merely as administrative matters. Whenever a clue was available, he made every possible effort to trace the rightful owner. In cases where passengers had lost everything, he even extended personal assistance by helping them with tickets, food and arrangements to reach their homes safely.
A Journey of Recognition That Began in 1995
- 1995 – DRM Award
- 1998 – DRM Award
- 1999 – COM / Northern Railway Award and DRM Award
- 2005 – DRM Award and Cash Award from Member Traffic / Railway Board
- 2006 – GM / Northern Railway Award
- 2007 – Cash Award from MOSR and DRM Award
- 2010 – DRM Award
- 2011 – Cash Award from Member (Staff) / Railway Board
- 2012 – DRM Award
- 2015 – AGM / Northern Railway Award
- 2022 – Passenger Facilitator – EXIM
- 15 December 2023 – Ati Vishisht Rail Seva Puraskar 2023, conferred by the Ministry of Railways, Government of India, during the 68th Railway Week
- 16 December 2023 – VIP Guest Honour by Riddhi Parivar Foundation / Veterans India
- 2024 – Samaj Rattan Award
- 2025–NBT Prernadeep Award, National Gaurav Samman, Martand Award, Certificate of Appreciation on Independence Day, Station Director Award, and two honours from the staff of Amritsar Railway Station
- 19 January 2026 – Utkrisht Samaj Seva Samman by Akhil Bharatiya Awadhi Samaj Nyas
An Extraordinary Record of 1,981 Cases
From 6 April 2016, Shri Rakesh Kumar Sharma began systematically maintaining records of the lost-and-found belongings he helped return.
- During railway service: 1,963 cases
- After retirement: 18 cases
- Total: 1,981 cases
- Including belongings of 42 foreign nationals
The estimated value of the belongings returned to their rightful owners is more than ₹5 crore.
Achievement Recognised by Record Books
His dedicated Lost-and-Found service has received recognition from the India Book of Records 2026 and the Asia Book of Records 2026, where he has also been recognised with the Grand Master title.
Recognised Not Only by the Railways, but Also by Society
Alongside railway honours, Shri Rakesh Kumar Sharma has also been recognised by numerous social and cultural organisations. These include the CONquest Special Jury Award, Special Honour as Karamyogi, Best Station Superintendent Award, Shri Ram Mitra Mandal Noida, Shri Siddhivinayak Ganpati Samman Trophy, Shri Jhankar Cultural Society, Bharat Vikas Parishad, Lions Club, Rotary Club, and many others.
Even after retiring from railway service on 31 January 2026, his spirit of service continues unabated.
For him, the greatest reward is not a trophy, certificate or medal. It is the moment when a passenger receives their lost belongings and says:
“Sir, you have relieved me of a very great difficulty.”
Shri Rakesh Kumar Sharma has proved that retirement from government service is possible, but retirement from serving humanity is not.
A heartfelt salute to the “Kohinoor of New Delhi Railway Station.”
