V. Balu taking blessings of N S Sir, ( N.Srinivasan) during his service in India Cements
1.5.2026
May
Day Reflections: Unique culture, tradition, legacy, people first HR\IR human
touch policy of India Cements
V. Balasubramanian
Views by V. Balasubramanian, former Asst. Resident
Editor, Economic Times, Chennai ( total 34 years service as business journalist)
and former VP, Corp.com & Consultant, Editor, Compass, in house journal,
India Cements ( total 11 years service).
We all know,
India Cements is now a subsidiary of Ultratech Cement, country’s No .1 Cement
producer and belonging to Aditya Birla Group. I am happy to read reports on the
spectacular turnround of India Cements under the management of Ultratech. I see
a great future for ICL under A V Birla Group.
On this historic May Day, I would like to reflect on
my long association with ICL and MD Sir and share my humble views on the unique
culture ,tradition , legacy, human centric and people first HR\IR policy
of of India Cements under the unique leadership of former MD,N S Sir ( N Srinivasan) and his
extraordinary human qualities.
As a Sr. Business Journalist, I have extensively
covered and reported on India Cements and former MD, NS Sir for over 23 years.
Then, I got a
golden opportunity to serve India
Cements and worked closely with former MD.
N S ( N Srinivasan) Sir for 11 years since April 17, 2013 to September 30, 2024,
and handled multiple tasks including co ordinating with organisers of meetings
with MD as chief Guest, compiling his talk points, corp.com , publishing house journal,.
COMPASS, spl books, tracked economy, industry, prepared reports for Annual
Reports, media releases, articles, involved in the admin of educational
institutions, MIPR think tank, organised
special meetings, MD award functions and delivering inspiring and motivational
talks at HR organised meetings of ICL.
The unique culture of India Cements, I
have witnessed and experienced is that it is an utmost caring organization of
its employees and their extended family. Its HR philosophy strongly believed in
the concept of good people making a good organisation. It has always cared for the well-being of its employees and
their family.
It had a large
number of dedicated and committed workforce serving for long with loyalty,
affection and pride. One could
feel the rare human touch in their working
along with corporate touch-- of rewards, compensation and recognitions.
With N S Sir
as a true human being at the helm, India
Cements had an enviable reputation as a caring organisation and ensuring safety
in workplace.
Since its inception in 1946, it was known for giving top priority to the welfare
of its employees. In 1960,
It became the first Company to implement the recommendations of Wage Board for
cement workers.
Ensuring Industrial
peace in the Company and industry for over three decades was the hall mark of achievement
of MD as he led the talks with unions since 1992 and reached industry wide
negotiated settlement.
The company
implemented ahead of times unique employee- friendly measures including
medical and education benefits, family pension for long.
During the worst covid 19 time, when a number of listed Companies cut
salary and work force, closed operations, MD and India Cements took care of employees
and their family during the entire covid pandemic period including payment of
full salary without relieving anyone from service.
That time, MD proved he was a
true human being when the true words of comfort came straight from his heart
and when he declared, “You (employees) are not responsible for this pandemic.
It is time for all of you to take care of your health and stay indoors.
Everything else, I will take care”.
MD proved he was a father figure for employees and their
family. The level of trust and faith he and the Company had on employees was
something unique which one has to experience to believe that. The Company and
MD empowered he or she to bring the results beyond their potential.
N S Sir was a big motivator of
employees and executives and he viewed every plant,
every employer alike and winner.
From early on, education was an important
area of focus for India Cements. Long before the World emerged as a knowledge
driven society, Founders had the foresight for laying the foundation for
providing quality education through schools and technical institute for
employees in plants.
They believed that empowered young minds were vital to
nation-building and education upto high school was provided free of cost to
children of all employees, well before such schemes were introduced by the
State Government and later scholarships. Sports events conducted for holistic
development of students.
For long, all the cement plants had self- contained townships/ housing
colony with all amenities, recreation clubs, schools, sports facilities, OHCs
etc.,
Plants regularly conducted comprehensive medical
check- up and healthcare awareness camps in tie up with hospitals for employees
and residents in the colony. Leisure
tours were arranged for them to have work life balance.
The Company built
a large number of committed stockists
and dealers for covering the entire market. A majority of them stayed with
India Cements for generations.They as well as influencers, consumers attached
lot of trust and sentiments to the high quality legacy brands like sankar,
coromandel, raasi ( now phased out by Ultratech) in building their homes and
projects.
India Cements nurtured a culture of supporting development of infrastructure
and social overheads in villages and places in and around the plants for
improving the living conditions of people. Over the years, they turned as thriving communities with a host of amenities
around the plants.
As a responsible corporate citizen, India Cements was a forerunner
in supporting socially relevant activities, community development and
livelihood programmes for a long time , even before CSR was
made mandatory by law.
India
Cements also had a long sporting
tradition since early sixties and made rich contribution to the development of
sports and sports persons.
In the past, ICL used to say, We also
make cement. This came out came out of its love for cricket, right from
the days (Sixties), when the game was not rewarding for players financially.
All the plants were equipped with well maintained temples in their housing
colony. With NS Sir support and guidance,
Company provided liberal support to
religious institutions of different faiths. The company also constructed and maintained several
temples.
Company’s plants regulary undertook renovation
of temples in the colony, celebrated various festivals, conduct Poojas, Homams
with Vedic pundits. They facilitated darshan for residents and people from
nearby villages and distribute prasadam and free meals.
These
activities were aimed at promoting spiritual activities, welfare of all,
harmony, brotherhood among the people apart from providing livelihood support
to those depending on the functions in temples.
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