SCOPE Eminence Awards: President Droupadi Murmu Honours PSEs for Excellence

President of India Droupadi Murmu conferred the SCOPE Eminence Awards for 2022–23 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, on 29 August 2025, recognising outstanding contributions by Public Sector Enterprises across areas such as institutional excellence, innovation, sustainability, women empowerment, corporate governance and human-resource management. (President of India)

Organised by the Standing Conference of Public Enterprises (SCOPE) with the support of the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE), Ministry of Finance, the ceremony brought together senior government officials and leaders of Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs).

The awards are significant because they highlight how India's public-sector companies are evolving beyond their traditional role in industrial development and are increasingly contributing to technology, strategic manufacturing, sustainability, digital transformation and nation-building.

SCOPE Eminence Awards 2022–23: Key Details

Particular	Details
Award	SCOPE Eminence Awards
Award Cycle	2022–23
Presentation Date	29 August 2025
Venue	Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi
Presented By	President Droupadi Murmu
Organiser	Standing Conference of Public Enterprises (SCOPE)
Supporting Department	Department of Public Enterprises, Ministry of Finance
Major Focus Areas	Excellence, innovation, governance, sustainability, HR, women empowerment and digital transformation

The official President's Secretariat and PIB confirmed the ceremony and said the awards recognise the contribution of public-sector enterprises across social, economic, environmental, technological and ethical dimensions. (President of India)

🏆 Major SCOPE Eminence Award Winners

The 2022–23 awards covered multiple categories rather than recognising only one organisation.

1. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited — Institutional Excellence

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) received the Institutional Excellence Award in the Maharatna & Navratna PSEs category.

The award is particularly significant for India's aerospace and defence sector. HAL has a central role in the development and production of aircraft, helicopters, engines, avionics and other aerospace systems.

HAL's own corporate disclosures also record the SCOPE Eminence Award for Institutional Excellence in the Maharatna/Navratna category for 2022–23. (The Economic Times)

The recognition reflects the wider importance of domestic aerospace manufacturing at a time when India is seeking greater self-reliance in defence production.

2. Goa Shipyard Limited — Women Empowerment

Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) received the SCOPE Eminence Award in the Women Empowerment category.

The award recognised initiatives aimed at promoting gender equality, inclusive workplace policies and greater opportunities for women employees.

GSL confirmed that CMD Brajesh Kumar Upadhyay received the honour from President Droupadi Murmu. (goashipyard.in)

3. POWERGRID — Human Resource Management

Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID) received the SCOPE Eminence Award for Human Resource Management.

According to POWERGRID, the recognition highlighted its employee-focused policies, continuous upskilling, leadership development, innovation, inclusivity and employee well-being initiatives. (Powergrid)

As of 31 July 2025, the company reported 286 substations, more than 1,80,849 circuit km of transmission lines and 5,74,331 MVA of transformation capacity, with average transmission-system availability above 99.85%. (Powergrid)

4. IREL and ECIL — Institutional Excellence

The award programme also recognised organisations in different public-sector categories.

IREL (India) Limited — Institutional Excellence, Miniratna I & II PSEs
Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL) — Institutional Excellence, Other Profit Making/Surplus Generating PSEs

SCOPE's official award material lists these organisations among the institutional-category winners. (SCOPE)

5. RailTel — Digital Transformation

RailTel Corporation of India Limited was recognised in the Digital Transformation category.

The award reflects the increasing importance of digital technologies within public-sector operations, infrastructure management and service delivery. SCOPE's published winners' material lists RailTel among the institutional category award recipients. (SCOPE)

6. BHEL — R&D and Technology Development

Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) was also recognised for its contribution to R&D, technology development and innovation, highlighting the importance of indigenous engineering capabilities in India's industrial ecosystem. (SCOPE)

🇮🇳 Why President Murmu Highlighted CPSEs

President Droupadi Murmu used the occasion to underline the continuing importance of the public sector in India's development journey.

According to the President's address, public-sector enterprises have contributed to India's economic development and social inclusion since Independence. She also noted that the performance of PSEs needs to be evaluated across multiple dimensions, including:

Economic performance
Social contribution
Environmental responsibility
Technological capability
Ethical standards
Corporate governance
Innovation
Corporate social responsibility
Women empowerment (Press Information Bureau)

This broader approach is important because the modern public-sector enterprise is expected to compete in an increasingly technology-driven and globalised economy.

🚀 CPSEs and Aatmanirbhar Bharat

One of the strongest themes of the ceremony was the role of CPSEs in Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India.

President Murmu specifically referred to the contribution of public-sector organisations to indigenous capabilities and highlighted the Akashteer Air Defence Control and Reporting System.

She noted that Akashteer demonstrated its capability during Operation Sindoor, making it an example of how indigenous technology can contribute to India's strategic preparedness. (Press Information Bureau)

This is particularly relevant for companies involved in defence, aerospace, electronics, power and heavy engineering.

🏭 Public Sector's Role in India's Economy

The Department of Public Enterprises highlighted the continuing economic and employment role of CPSEs.

DPE Secretary K. Moses Chalai said CPSEs engage around 15 lakh people directly and indirectly support millions of livelihoods across the country. He described the public sector as having a dual responsibility: nation-building and economic growth. (Press Information Bureau)

This means the performance of CPSEs has an impact well beyond their balance sheets.

A large public-sector company can influence:

Manufacturing → suppliers → MSMEs → employment → technology development → infrastructure → economic growth

That wider ecosystem is one reason why the government continues to focus on competitiveness and innovation within CPSEs.

🌱 Sustainability and Corporate Governance

The SCOPE Eminence Awards are not limited to financial performance.

The award framework recognises areas such as:

Sustainable development
Corporate governance
CSR
Women empowerment
Innovation
Digital transformation
Human-resource management
Leadership excellence

President Murmu emphasised that strong enterprises should perform well across social, economic, environmental, technological and ethical parameters. (Press Information Bureau)

This indicates a shift from measuring public-sector success only through production and profitability toward a broader model of institutional excellence.

💻 Digital Transformation Is Becoming a Core Priority

Another important aspect of the awards is the recognition of digital transformation.

Public-sector organisations increasingly operate large infrastructure networks involving:

Artificial intelligence
Automation
Digital monitoring
Data analytics
Cybersecurity
Cloud infrastructure
Remote operations
Smart asset management

The recognition of organisations such as RailTel demonstrates how digital capability is becoming an important part of the modern CPSE ecosystem. (SCOPE)

👩 Women Empowerment in Public Sector

The recognition given to Goa Shipyard Limited also highlights a growing focus on women's participation in traditionally male-dominated industrial sectors.

Shipbuilding, defence manufacturing and heavy engineering have historically had lower female participation than many service-sector industries.

Recognising workplace initiatives in these areas sends an important message that public-sector organisations are expected to create more inclusive employment environments.

GSL said its award recognised its efforts toward gender inclusivity and empowering women in the workplace. (goashipyard.in)

🎯 What SCOPE Eminence Awards Mean for Viksit Bharat 2047

The awards also connect with India's long-term Viksit Bharat 2047 objective.

President Murmu expressed confidence that CPSEs will play an important role in achieving the national goal of building a developed India by 2047. (President of India)

For this objective, India's public-sector enterprises are expected to contribute in several areas:

Strategic manufacturing

Companies such as HAL and other defence-sector CPSEs can strengthen indigenous manufacturing.

Energy security

Power and energy companies remain critical to supporting industrial and economic expansion.

Infrastructure

Transmission networks, rail infrastructure and other public assets provide the foundation for economic activity.

Technology

Public-sector R&D and technology development can reduce dependence on imported systems.

Employment

CPSEs provide direct employment while supporting large supplier and service ecosystems.

Sustainability

Large enterprises can accelerate India's transition toward cleaner and more resource-efficient operations.

📌 What the 2025 SCOPE Awards Tell Us

The SCOPE Eminence Awards are more than an annual recognition ceremony.

They reflect the changing expectations from India's public-sector enterprises.

The message is increasingly clear: public-sector companies must remain competitive while continuing to fulfil their strategic and social responsibilities.

The awards recognise organisations that are working in areas ranging from aerospace and defence to digital transformation, human resources, sustainability and women empowerment.

At the same time, the government expects CPSEs to continue improving efficiency and competitiveness. Finance Minister of State Pankaj Chaudhary said PSE performance remained consistent even during periods of uncertainty and that the sector was on a path of sustained growth. (Press Information Bureau)

🔍 Frequently Asked Questions

What are the SCOPE Eminence Awards?

The SCOPE Eminence Awards recognise outstanding performance and contributions by Public Sector Enterprises across areas such as institutional excellence, innovation, sustainability, governance, HR and social development.

Who presented the SCOPE Eminence Awards 2022–23?

President Droupadi Murmu presented the awards at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, on 29 August 2025. (President of India)

Which organisation won Institutional Excellence among Maharatna/Navratna PSEs?

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) received the Institutional Excellence Award in the Maharatna & Navratna PSE category. (The Economic Times)

Which PSU received the Women Empowerment award?

Goa Shipyard Limited received the SCOPE Eminence Award for Women Empowerment. (goashipyard.in)

Which PSU received the Human Resource Management award?

POWERGRID received the SCOPE Eminence Award for Human Resource Management. (Powergrid)

Why are these awards important?

They recognise public-sector organisations not only for financial performance but also for innovation, sustainability, governance, technology, employee development and their wider contribution to India's economic and social development.

📝 Final Takeaway

The SCOPE Eminence Awards 2022–23, presented by President Droupadi Murmu in August 2025, highlight the evolving role of India's Public Sector Enterprises.

From HAL's aerospace and defence capabilities and Goa Shipyard's women-empowerment initiatives to POWERGRID's HR practices and RailTel's digital transformation, the award winners represent different dimensions of modern public-sector excellence. (SCOPE)

The larger message from the ceremony is that CPSEs will need to combine competitiveness, innovation, technology, sustainability and social responsibility if they are to remain effective engines of India's growth.

As India works toward the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision, the public sector is expected to remain an important part of the country's industrial, technological and strategic development. (Press Information Bureau)