This paper traces the evolution of quality in the field of production and operations in the manufacturing industry, especially the trajectory of growth from an abstract idea to a fully-developed action plan. Through the diachronic approach that examines the four industrial revolutions, it establishes the evolution of quality from 'inspection' to 'assurance'. After the Indian market was thrown open in 1991, the Indian industry evolved in order to keep in step with global competitors. Since then, operations management teams have studied and adopted various methodologies to improve the quality of their products. The industry has been working towards winning prestigious quality awards which can bear testimony to the quality standards they follow. The Deming prize is one such award, which certifies that the systems being followed by the organization can sustain and improve the quality of the product. The study follows the Deming guidelines in order to understand the process which industries maintain to win this award. The author has studied three Deming award-winning organizations to understand the basic conditions to be fulfilled before vying for the Deming. This study will help managers and engineers identify gaps in the quality systems they follow. The implications drawn by the author are directed towards any organization interested in achieving process and product quality across the board.