Delhi Metro wins XLRI HR Excellence award, beats 20+ organisations
Synopsis
Delhi Metro beat more than 20 private and public sector organisations to claim the top HR award at XLRI Jamshedpur's national conclave — and did so in the same week it became the first metro in India to earn an ISO 55001:2024 asset management certification. Two external benchmarks in one stretch is an unusual double for a public sector transit body.
Key Takeaways
DMRC won the 'Overall Excellence in HR Practices for Greater Good' award at XLRI Jamshedpur's HR for the Greater Good Conclave 2.0 .
The conclave ran from 31 August to 2 September at the XLRI campus, with 23 organisations participating.
DMRC competed against more than 20 private and public sector organisations to claim the top award.
Anuj Dayal , Principal Executive Director, Corporate Communications, accepted and commented on the recognition.
DMRC also recently became the first metro organisation in India to receive ISO 55001:2024 certification for asset management on Mumbai Metro Line-3 .
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has been conferred the 'Overall Excellence in HR Practices for Greater Good' award at the 'HR for the Greater Good Conclave 2.0', organised by XLRI Jamshedpur, one of India's oldest and most respected business schools. The conclave was held at the XLRI Jamshedpur campus from 31 August to 2 September, with 23 organisations from both the private sector and public sector undertakings (PSUs) competing for recognition.
What the Conclave Covered
The three-day event brought together organisations to present their practices and perspectives across five key themes: AI Adoption in HR, Impact of Labour Reforms on Labour Practices, Environment and Sustainability — Green HRM, Total Rewards and Career Management, and Digital Transformation of Business and HR/IR Processes. XLRI, currently marking 75 years of academic excellence, hosted the conclave as part of its broader initiative to benchmark HR impact across industries.
Why DMRC Was Recognised
Anuj Dayal, Principal Executive Director of DMRC Corporate Communications, said the award reflects the HR department's sustained commitment to employee welfare. 'Competing with more than 20 organisations from both the Private Sector and Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs), DMRC was recognised for its overall excellence in HR practices,' Dayal said.
He added that 'the award stands as a testament to the continued efforts of the DMRC's HR Department, working selflessly for the well-being of its employees, who in turn serve lakhs of commuters who travel by Delhi Metro every day.'
A Broader Streak of Milestones
The HR recognition arrives close on the heels of another landmark achievement for DMRC. The corporation recently became the first metro organisation in India to receive the ISO 55001:2024 certification for asset management — specifically for its Mumbai Metro Line-3. The certification marks a structural shift from conventional maintenance to strategic, risk-based, and lifecycle-oriented asset management.
Notably, this combination of people-management and operational excellence signals a deliberate institutional push by DMRC to benchmark itself against international standards across multiple domains simultaneously.
What It Means for the Organisation
DMRC's people-first philosophy is increasingly being validated externally, with the corporation competing against and outperforming large private sector players. The organisation has reaffirmed its commitment to fostering an ethical, inclusive culture guided by the values of service, sustainability, and growth — principles that directly affect the quality of service experienced by the lakhs of daily commuters on the Delhi Metro network.
With both HR and asset management benchmarks now met at the national level, DMRC's next institutional challenge will be sustaining these standards as the network continues to expand.
Point of View
It suggests DMRC's leadership is deliberately pursuing external validation across both hard and soft operational metrics. The real question is whether these recognitions translate into measurable improvements in commuter experience and employee retention, or remain institutional branding exercises. For other PSUs watching, DMRC is quietly setting a benchmark that is harder to dismiss than a self-reported metric.
NationPress
3 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What award did Delhi Metro win at XLRI Jamshedpur?
DMRC won the 'Overall Excellence in HR Practices for Greater Good' award at the HR for the Greater Good Conclave 2.0, organised by XLRI Jamshedpur. The award was given after DMRC competed against more than 20 organisations from both the private sector and PSUs.
When and where was the HR for the Greater Good Conclave 2.0 held?
The conclave was held at the XLRI Jamshedpur campus from 31 August to 2 September. XLRI is currently celebrating 75 years of academic excellence and is one of India's oldest business schools.
What themes were covered at the XLRI HR conclave?
The conclave covered five themes: AI Adoption in HR, Impact of Labour Reforms on Labour Practices, Green HRM under Environment and Sustainability, Total Rewards and Career Management, and Digital Transformation of Business and HR/IR Processes.
What is the ISO 55001:2024 certification that DMRC recently received?
ISO 55001:2024 is an international standard for asset management systems. DMRC became the first metro organisation in India to receive this certification, specifically for its Asset Management System on Mumbai Metro Line-3, marking a shift to strategic, risk-based asset management.
Why is DMRC's HR award significant for a public sector organisation?
DMRC competed against and outperformed more than 20 organisations including private sector companies, challenging the perception that PSUs lag on HR practices. The recognition reflects the corporation's people-first approach, which supports the daily operations serving lakhs of commuters on the Delhi Metro network.
