Rewriting the Rules of HR: Nuvoco's SMART Approach to Workforce Transformation

What happens when a traditionally industrial brand begins to think, act, and scale like a digital native? At Nuvoco, 'SMART' isn't just branding—it's a blueprint for how people, platforms, and performance come together to build what's next in a safer, smarter, and more sustainable way.

- Minu Sirsalewala

Nuvoco Vistas Corp. Ltd. is a leading building materials company and the fifth-largest cement player in India by capacity. A part of the Nirma Group, it operates across cement, ready-mix concrete, and modern construction materials, with a strong commitment to innovation and sustainability.

Behind Nuvoco Vistas' rapid growth lies a quieter shift—how its people practices have evolved in tandem with its expansion. Manisha Kelkar, Chief Human Resources Officer and a long-time insider, offers a grounded perspective on navigating change, digitising with intent, and why upskilling can't be reduced to a tick-box exercise. In this conversation with Minu Sirsalewala, Executive Editor, Dataquest, she reflects on the role of HR in shaping future-ready organisations—one data point, one dashboard, and one learning path at a time.

Could you share a quick overview of your background and Nuvoco's core focus?

Weare the fifth-largest cement company in India. Nuvoco Vistas is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Nirma Group. Nirma diversified into cement in 2014 with a single plant of 2.3 million tonnes in Rajasthan. Today, we've scaled to 31 million tonnes—almost a 15-fold growth in under a decade. It’s been an incredible journey, and I've had the privilege of being part of it throughout.

Your journey with the group?

I've been with the organisation for 16 years. I've closely witnessed Nirma’s transition, several asset acquisitions, and three major mergers. While we're known widely for cement, we've expanded into ready-mix concrete, construction chemicals, tile adhesives—what we call modern building materials. The vision is to be a smart building material solution provider. It’s about building a safer, smarter, and more sustainable world. Tech and innovation sit at the heart of this ambition.