People Move · September 2026

Rekha Nagaraj Appointed CHRO at Sowparnika

Sowparnika Projects appoints Rekha Nagaraj as CHRO. She brings 32+ years of HR experience, including 23 years at MFAR Constructions.

The appointment and mandate

Sowparnika Projects has appointed Rekha Nagaraj as Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO), bringing more than 32 years of experience across HR, IT, non-IT, real estate and construction, including a 23-year leadership journey with MFAR Constructions.

Sowparnika Projects has strengthened its leadership team with the appointment of Rekha Nagaraj as Chief Human Resources Officer. Effective July 2026, Nagaraj will work with the Board and executive leadership to align the organisation’s people strategy with its business priorities, with a focus on talent management, organisational capability, leadership development, employee engagement and culture.

Early career and professional foundation

Rekha Nagaraj started her professional career in 1993 with Ananya Exports, where she worked in administration and marketing. She subsequently gained experience across engineering, technology, software, consulting and HR functions through roles at Operon Automation, SSI, Microsolve Consulting and Raman Computers.

This early exposure across different business functions helped build a diverse professional foundation before she moved into a long-term HR leadership career in the construction sector. In 2003, Rekha Nagaraj joined MFAR Constructions, beginning a journey that would span more than 23 years.

A 23-year leadership journey at MFAR Constructions

During her tenure at MFAR Constructions, Nagaraj progressed through several HR leadership positions, eventually becoming Corporate Head – HR&A and Chief Human Resources Officer.

In her most recent role, she worked closely with senior leadership on strategic HR, organisational culture, employee experience, talent management, succession planning, retention, HR policies, governance, and learning and development. Her responsibilities covered a workforce of more than 30,000 employees.

One of the notable contributions during her MFAR journey was her involvement in establishing the organisation’s Learning & Development function, alongside initiatives around workforce planning, performance management and employee engagement.

Experience across talent, culture and development

Rekha Nagaraj brings experience across HR, IT, non-IT, real estate and construction, giving her exposure to different workforce environments and business models.

Her background includes talent management, employee retention, HR policy, organisational development, culture building, leadership development, learning and development and employee engagement. This experience is particularly relevant to a real estate organisation where business expansion requires strong people capabilities and leadership pipelines.

People strategy at Sowparnika Projects

In her new role, Nagaraj's mandate will centre on strengthening HR strategy and talent management, while supporting organisational capability, leadership development and employee engagement.

She will also work towards aligning people practices with Sowparnika Projects’ growth plans and strengthening the organisation’s culture as the company continues to expand its presence in the real estate sector.

The next chapter in HR leadership

With more than three decades of professional experience and extensive leadership exposure in construction and real estate, Rekha Nagaraj brings a combination of strategic HR experience and large-scale workforce management to Sowparnika Projects.

Her move marks the next chapter in a career that has evolved from administration and marketing into senior HR leadership, including more than two decades with MFAR Constructions. At Sowparnika Projects, her experience in talent, culture, organisational development and learning  can support the company’s people agenda as it continues its growth journey.

Hire Route Take

Rekha Nagaraj’s appointment reflects the growing importance of experienced HR leadership in the real estate and construction sector. With more than three decades of experience and a 23-year journey at MFAR Constructions, her background in talent management, employee retention, culture building and learning & development brings strong people-focused experience to Sowparnika Projects. Her new role is expected to focus on aligning HR strategy with business growth while strengthening talent and organisational capabilities.