HOW WIPRO IS REWRITING THE FUTURE OF WORK

Wipro's oldest business—manufacturing hydraulic cylinders—is at the forefront of an ambitious experiment

- Pankaj Mishra

At first glance, Chandni doesn't seem like someone who would operate a massive CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machine—the hulking, steel-clad system that roars to life and slices through metal with micrometer precision. Four-and-a-half-feet tall, dressed in navy blue overalls and sneakers, Chandni appears almost dwarfed by the towering equipment and its blinking interface.

She moves confidently across the polished concrete floor of Wipro's newest factory on Jaipur's outskirts, working from a platform built just for her, elevated to meet her height.

“Earlier, some would just say she's too short for this,” says Ranganath M.S., the Jaipur plant head of Wipro Hydraulics, watching her quietly from across the floor. “But we didn't ask her to adjust to the machine. We adjusted the machine as per her.”

It's a subtle design decision, barely noticeable unless you're looking for it. But at this facility—one of Wipro's most ambitious experiments in automation and inclusion—these quiet details form the core philosophy.

The Jaipur plant, which has been operational since early 2024, produces over 1,000 hydraulic cylinders daily for its largest customer, JCB. These sleek, precision-crafted cylinders power the arms of backhoe loaders and earthmovers across the country, where even a slight quality slip can dramatically ripple through construction projects.

Mistakes here are not an option.

And yet, the place hums without drama. Robotic arms swivel methodically, conveyors glide under high ceilings and human operators—many of them young women—oversee the precise movement of steel rods and components. The work is physical, but no one hauls heavy metal on their shoulders. “We've gone from muscle to brain,” Ranganath explains. “Most handling is automated. Human work now means judgment, observation, thinking.”