Kurnool: The Indian Institute of Information Technology, Design and Manufacturing (IIITDM) Kurnool has achieved national distinction by securing the top rank in the country under the Department of Telecommunications’ (DoT) prestigious 100 5G Use Case Labs programme. In the January–June 2026 Gradation Framework, IIITDM Kurnool emerged as the overall national topper by claiming first place in all four evaluation parameters: Overall Excellence, Foundational Excellence, Engagement Excellence, and Innovation Excellence. The institute’s 5G Use Case Lab—virtually inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the India Mobile Congress 2023—is equipped with a 5G Standalone (SA) Base Station, IoT devices, and modern research infrastructure. The institute’s winning project proposal was spearheaded by Dr K Krishna Naik, Associate Professor, Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering. Faculty members Dr K Krishna Naik and Dr K Nagaraju accepted the award in New Delhi.