Amidst great monuments, cave sanctuaries and sculptures; amidst vast beaches, monoliths, stone carvings and temples, Mahabalipuram was buzzing with activity and painted blue by the 400 Ashok Leyland employees who had arrived from across the globe to participate in Improve 2019, one of the most eagerly awaited events in the Ashok Leyland calendar where employees showcase their improvement projects to a jury comprising of internal and external jurors.

Started in 1998, Improve celebrates the best in terms of innovation in the team format.  It is a celebration of achievements and teamwork.  It is a yearlong aspiration and a motivation. It is the annual event that every employee wants to be a part of.  Everyone seeks to draw from the high energy it generates including the Company’s Top Management, who once said “I come to Improve every year to recharge myself”. A group of girls from our Pantnagar plant said “We are all from small villages in Uttarakhand and for us finding an opportunity to present before the senior management of Ashok Leyland is such a moment of delight. Our confidence level has increased multi-fold. Thanks to Improve”

The 21st edition of IMPROVE was held at the coastal city of Mahabalipuram between the 7th and 9th of December. 75 teams from across plants keenly contested in the 21st Improve competition. Close to 16000 entries were received this year and these were then filtered down to 75 teams who made it to the grand finale. The first two days witnessed the jury patiently listening to the presentations made by the teams. The top 12 teams presented at the finale held on the third day to the jury from the first 2 days and an additional internal ten-member grand jury panel. 

The winners of Improve 2019 are given below.

Corporate functions:

 1.Arvind Kumar M R gold
 2.Niranjan Sureka silver
 3.Shaik Manzoor Ahmed bronze

Manufacturing support services:

 1.M Pasupathy Hosur 2 – gold
 2.R Thirumal Ennore – silver
 3.Dhyan Singh PNR – bronze
 4.R Vengadeswaran Hosur 2 – finalist

Manufacturing:

 1.Jagat Singh -RAK – gold
 2.Amrish Kumar -Alwar – silver
 3.Sovendra Singh Yadav -PNR – bronze
 4.Swati Negi – Alwar- finalist
 5.D SenthilKumar – Hosur 2 – finalist

Breakthrough award:

 1.V B Pande – Bhandara

Special jury awards:

 1. P M Saravanan Hosur 2  
 2.A Stephen Selvakumar Ennore
 3.Sankaranarayanan N