Most people simply perform their duties and move on. But for RPF officer Chandana Sinha, one moment changed everything and turned her job into a life-saving mission.

In 2022, during the crowded Chhath Puja rush at New Delhi Railway Station, a mother’s three-year-old child suddenly went missing. Amid panic and chaos, Chandana searched the station for two hours before finally finding the frightened child sitting alone on a bench. The emotional reunion stayed with her and pushed her to pay closer attention to vulnerable children on railway platforms.

Later, while leading Operation “Nanhe Farishte”, a child protection initiative by Indian Railways, Chandana created a system to identify and rescue children who might be lost or travelling with traffickers. Her team trained staff to notice suspicious signs, built informer networks with vendors and porters, and partnered with NGOs.

Through these efforts, more than 1,500 missing and trafficked children have been rescued, including 1,032 in 2025 alone. For Chandana, the biggest reward isn’t awards - it’s seeing a lost child return safely to their family.