Kolkata: Promoting excellence and innovation in Defence Manufacturing while fostering synergy among all Defence PSUs, Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd. (GRSE), a leading Indian shipyard, in association with the Society of Defence Technologists (SODET), organised the first-of-its-kind national level “Quality Concepts Circle (QCC) Competition – 2023” from November 28 to 29, 2023, at the GRSE Main Unit in Kolkata. Twenty-five Quality Circle (QC) teams representing various Defence Public Sector Undertakings including BEL, HAL, HSL, GSL, MDL, BDL, GRSE, DGQA & DGAQA participated in this historic event.
The competition theme, “Innovation, Indigenisation, and Quality – The Future of Nation,” underscores the industry’s commitment to advancing technological innovation, promoting self-reliance, and maintaining the highest standards of quality in defence production in India.
Director, Indian Maritime University, Kolkata Campus, Rear Admiral (Dr.) Rangachari PJ, IN(Retd.), graced the event as the Chief Guest, adding significance to the occasion. The event witnessed the presence of Cmde PR Hari, IN(Retd.), Chairman & Managing Director, GRSE, RK Dash, Director (Finance), Cdr Shantanu Bose, IN(Retd.), Director (Shipbuilding), GRSE, DIG Subrato Ghosh, ICG(Retd.), Director (Personnel), GRSE, N Ravindra, Secretary General, SODET and senior officials from GRSE and other DPSUs.
17 QC teams were honoured at the Award ceremony, with GOLD Award and 8 QC teams received the SILVER Award. The QCC Competition served as a platform for sharing best practices, promoting collaboration, and enhancing the overall quality standards in the Defence Manufacturing sector. The competition comprised insightful presentations, discussions, and interactive sessions, allowing participating teams to showcase their innovative solutions and quality improvement initiatives. Topics covered ranged from process optimisation to technological advancements in the field of defence production.
Director IMU, Kolkata Campus, Rear Admiral (Dr.) Rangachari PJ, IN(Retd.), mentioned that essentially, Quality is all about people contributing to the system, to the organisation and is also about whether they have been empowered to find that expression. Quality also demands that the employees are involved completely in the entire process, for achieving the organisation’s objectives and going beyond the customer’s expectations.
Admiral Rangachari PJ, commended the participating teams and mentioned that each one would go back and find a place in the scheme of things in whichever areas they were contributing to, in their organisations’. Empowerment and motivation through proper leadership become an important dimension for ensuring quality, he added.
CMD, GRSE, Cmde PR Hari, IN(Retd.), noted that 25 teams from 08 DPSUs had taken part in this GRSE-hosted event. He mentioned that the theme of the first-ever National Level QCC 2023, was most apt, considering the present environment where the entire nation is striving towards achieving 100% Aatmanirbharta.
