NIQR felicitates Ashok Leyland for winning Deming Prize

NIQR takes pleasure in felicitating eminent personalities and organisations which have contributed much for the promotion of quality and TQM. Over the years, NIQR has felicitated both individuals and organisations for winning the coveted Deming Prize.

On May 6, 2017, NIQR organised a felicitation function in Chennai for Ashok Leyland Ltd.’s Pantnagar plant for having won the Deming Prize for 2016.

Mr. P. Kaniappan, Managing Director, WABCO India Ltd., (fourth from left), felicitating Mr. Alok Kumar Gupta, Plant Head, Ashok Leyland Pantnagar Plant. Others are (from right), Mr. K. Manikandan, Chairman – NIQR Chennai Branch , Mr. P. Harihar, Sr. Vice President – Manufacturing & Project Planning, Mr. R. Sivanesan, Sr. Vice President – Quality, Sourcing & Supply Chain, Mr. K. Sridharan Balaji, National Secretary, Mr. P.K. Aggarwal, National President and Mr. G. Rangarajan, Past National Secretary – NIQR

Mr. P.K. Aggarwal, National President, NIQR, welcomed the august gathering which included industry heads and NIQR members and special invitees and congradulated the Pantnagar plant of Ashok Leyland on having become the first truck and bus plant in the world and also the only commercial vehicle manufacturer outside of Japan to win the Deming Prize. Out of 56 organizations that have won the Deming Prize from 2000 to 2016, India is on top of the list with 22, followed by Japan with 16 and Thailand with 12.

Praising Ashok Leyland for its commitment to Quality, he referred to the message by Mr. Vinod Dasari, Managing Director of Ashok Leyland Ltd., while addressing the media after receiving the Deming Prize: “Consistent quality, technology, innovation and robust processes are the pillars which have helped us garner international recognition and customer satisfaction and help us deliver on our brand promise of ‘Aap ki Jeet, Hamari Jeet’.

Mr. P. Kaniappan, Managing Director, Wabco India Ltd., who was the Chief Guest for the function, in his address, referred to the commitment of the AL Management in drawing up a long-term roadmap and meticulously following it in winning the Deming Prize for its Pantnagar plant. He was confident that the other plants of AL will soon win the Award.

At the CII’s TQM Forum Conference held in Chennai on June 3, a book titled “Total Quality Management – An Integrated Approach” was released by its author, Prof. D.R. Kiran. The picture shows Prof. Kiran, an acclaimed specialist in the field of quality and management, with several books written by him to his credit, giving a copy of the book to Prof. Asuthoshi Washio, the TQM expert.

He then felicitated Ashok Leland Ltd. represented by Mr. R. Sivanesan, Sr. Vice President, Quality, Sourcing & Supply Chain, Mr. P. Harihar, Sr. Vice President, Manufacturing & Project Planning, and Mr. Alok Gupta, Plant Head – Pantnagar, with mementos.

In the acceptance speech, Mr. Alok Gupta thanked NIQR for the felicitation function arranged in a grand manner. He then made a presentation on the roadmap emphasizing the development of Pantnagar and its people as the starting point.

He made a mention about the proud moments which included transforming people who have not even seen a train till entering AL becoming well versed in English and programming and operating CNC machines.

Mr. K. Sridharan Balaji, National Secretary, NIQR, proposed a vote of thanks.