Prashant Kumar Mishra’s book Rail Through Raj released in Lucknow

Raebareli: The book Rail Through Raj: The East Indian Railway (1841–1861), authored by Prashant Kumar Mishra, General Manager of Modern Coach Factory (MCF), Raebareli and Rail Coach Factory (RCF), Kapurthala, was released on January 24, 2026 at Universal Book Sellers, Gomti Nagar, Lucknow, in the presence of Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak.

The book was unveiled by Brajesh Pathak along with the author and other dignitaries, including Manav Prakash, Gaurav Prakash, Chandra Prakash and Alok Johri. Mishra, a senior officer of the Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers (IRSME), is also a noted railway historian, environmentalist and author, with several acclaimed works on Indian Railways to his credit.

Comprising 13 chapters, Rail Thru Raj traces the formation and early growth of the East Indian Railway between 1841 and 1861. It examines the risks faced by the company and its investors, regulatory frameworks, the launch of India’s first railway in 1853, and the administrative roles of Lord Dalhousie and Lord Canning. The book also details railway expansion across key regions and vividly describes challenges such as dense forests, rivers, epidemics and wildlife encountered during construction, while highlighting the role of railways during the 1857 uprising.

Senior railway officers, editors and journalists from leading media houses attended the release.