New Delhi |In a landmark achievement for India’s public sector, NLC India Limited (NLCIL) has become the first Central Public Sector Undertaking (CPSU) in the country to receive the prestigious IPMA Delta Competence Class 3 “Standardised” Certification, a globally recognized benchmark for organizational excellence in project management.
The certification was formally conferred on Thursday at the IPMA Global Project Professional Forum 2026, held in Mahabalipuram near Chennai, during a high-level international gathering of project management professionals and policymakers.
The award was presented by Palanivel Thiaga Rajan, Minister for Information Technology and Digital Services, Government of Tamil Nadu, to Prasanna Kumar Motupalli, Chairman and Managing Director of NLC India Limited, in the presence of company directors and senior international dignitaries.
The two-day global forum, themed “Co-creating a Global Transformation through Project Management – Embracing AI, Innovation and Sustainability”, was organized under the aegis of the International Project Management Association (IPMA). The event brought together industry leaders, policymakers, and experts from across the world to discuss emerging trends in project, programme, and portfolio management.
The inaugural session featured prominent speakers including N. Ram, President of IPMA Mladen Vukomanovic, IPMA India President A. Sivathanu Pillai, and IPMA Vice President Vladimir Obradovic.
In his address, Minister Thiaga Rajan emphasized that execution capability remains one of the weakest links in large-scale projects globally. He underlined the importance of structured governance, professional competence, and digital transformation, while also highlighting the growing relevance of digital twins and the responsible integration of artificial intelligence in project execution.
Accepting the certification, CMD Prasanna Kumar Motupalli described the recognition as a moment of pride for the organization and the public sector at large. He said the achievement reflects NLCIL’s systematic approach to project delivery, strong governance framework, and commitment to international best practices.
The certification was dedicated to NLCIL’s workforce, past and present, acknowledging six decades of engineering excellence, organizational discipline, and execution capability that laid the foundation for this global recognition.
The IPMA Delta Certification is a comprehensive organizational assessment that evaluates leadership commitment, governance systems, organizational culture, project processes, and individual competence. It recognizes organizations that consistently deliver value not only through financial performance but also through societal and environmental impact.
NLC India Limited was commended for its mature project management framework, leadership-driven professionalism, alignment with global standards, an effective Project Management Office (PMO), and a growing pool of IPMA-certified professionals. The assessment highlighted the company’s ability to manage complex portfolios across renewable energy, conventional power transition, mining modernization, and community development initiatives.
In addition to the IPMA Delta Certification, NLCIL was also awarded the PMA Leadership Excellence Award, recognizing its strategic leadership, operational discipline, and commitment to sustainable infrastructure development.
The recognition further strengthens NLC India Limited’s position as a benchmark public sector enterprise and underscores India’s growing alignment with global standards in project execution, governance maturity, and sustainable value creation.