Manipal University has won the Indian Merchants’ Chamber Ramkrishna Bajaj National Quality Award 2007. The award was presented by Deputy Chairman of  Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia in a ceremony held at Y B Chavan Centre in Mumbai on March 21.

According to a press release, the award has established itself as one of the most prestigious quality awards in India which is the Indian version of Malcolm Baldrige model of Business Excellence prevalent in USA. Started in 1997, these awards are conferred on organisations which have adapted and promoted various quality initiatives on a sustained basis. There are six categories of these awards – Manufacturing, Service, Small Business, Overseas, Education and Healthcare.

The purpose of the award is to promote quality awareness and practices in Indian organisations, recognise their quality achievement and publicise successful quality strategies and programmes. The criteria for the award include visionary leadership, customer-driven excellenceand so on.