New Delhi: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has been awarded the Digital Transformation Award 2025 by Central Banking London, UK, in recognition of its innovative digital initiatives that have significantly enhanced internal and external operations. The announcement was made by RBI through a post on platform X, formerly known as Twitter.
In its post, RBI stated, “The Reserve Bank of India has been chosen for the Digital Transformation Award 2025 by Central Banking London, UK. The RBI has been recognised and honoured for initiatives such as its in-house developed systems — ‘Sarathi’ and ‘Prahav’.”
The award committee lauded the RBI for these digital solutions, which have minimized the reliance on paper-based submissions and brought transformational changes to the bank’s processes.
In an official press release, Central Banking London stated that Sarathi and Prahav were key components of this transformation. Sarathi, which went live in January 2023, has digitized all of RBI’s internal workflows. It allows RBI staff to securely store and share documents, improve records management, and leverage data analysis through comprehensive reports and dashboards.
The second phase of this digital drive, Prahav — meaning “smooth flow” in Hindi — was launched in May 2024. It offers external users a streamlined digital platform to submit regulatory applications to the RBI. Documents submitted via the Prahav portal are integrated into the Sarathi database, where they are securely managed using centralized cybersecurity systems and digital tracking across RBI offices.
The successful implementation of Sarathi has been attributed to the collaborative efforts of the RBI’s IT team and the establishment of necessary support structures. Before developing the systems, the IT team engaged extensively with employees to understand their needs. To ensure seamless adoption, each department appointed senior-level ‘Nodal Officers’, and ‘Sarathi Pathshala’ (online training modules) was launched to familiarize users with the system.
Additionally, ‘Sarathi Mitras’ — trained staff in each RBI office — were designated to assist colleagues with any issues related to the new systems.
Central Banking London praised RBI’s comprehensive approach to digital transformation and noted that these innovations have strengthened efficiency, security, and data management within India’s central bank.
This prestigious recognition marks a significant milestone in RBI’s ongoing efforts to modernize its operations and contribute to India’s digital growth.
