A processor implemented method for real-time monitoring and optimizing the operation of an alumina rotary kiln, the method comprising: receiving real-time data of the alumina rotary kiln in a plant, via a plurality of sources; pre-processing, via one or more hardware processors, the received real time data; predicting, via the one or more hardware processors, a gas and a solid temperature profile in the alumina rotary kiln over a predefined time period using the preprocessed real time data and a thermal model stored in a database, wherein the prediction of gas and solid thermal profile comprises of spatial distribution of temperature within the alumina rotary kiln axially and radially and temperatures in the refractory and the shell of the alumina rotary kiln, and wherein the thermal model comprises of a physics based solver to predict gas and solid temperature profile in axial direction along with shell temperatures as function of measured operation data in the plant; predicting, via the one or more hardware processors, a quality of alumina in real-time in terms of a set of quality parameters using the predicted gas and solid temperature profile, the preprocessed real time data and a quality model wherein the quality model comprises a data driven model using an output of the thermal model to predict the quality of alumina and wherein the set of quality parameters comprises specific surface area, SSA, alumina phase concentrations, temperature of alumina and size distribution of alumina; displaying, via the one or more hardware processors, the real-time predicted quality of alumina on a display device; receiving, via the one or more hardware processors, a set of desired quality parameters for the quality of alumina from a user; identifying, via the one or more hardware processors, an optimum set of parameters by satisfying a predetermined criterion based on the received set of desired quality parameters; and displaying, via the one or more hardware processors, the identified optimum set of parameters on the display device. receiving real-time data of the alumina rotary kiln in a plant, via a plurality of sources; pre-processing, via one or more hardware processors, the received real time data; predicting, via the one or more hardware processors, a gas and a solid temperature profile in the alumina rotary kiln over a predefined time period using the preprocessed real time data and a thermal model stored in a database, wherein the prediction of gas and solid thermal profile comprises of spatial distribution of temperature within the alumina rotary kiln axially and radially and temperatures in the refractory and the shell of the alumina rotary kiln, and wherein the thermal model comprises of a physics based solver to predict gas and solid temperature profile in axial direction along with shell temperatures as function of measured operation data in the plant; predicting, via the one or more hardware processors, a quality of alumina in real-time in terms of a set of quality parameters using the predicted gas and solid temperature profile, the preprocessed real time data and a quality model wherein the quality model comprises a data driven model using an output of the thermal model to predict the quality of alumina and wherein the set of quality parameters comprises specific surface area, SSA, alumina phase concentrations, temperature of alumina and size distribution of alumina; displaying, via the one or more hardware processors, the real-time predicted quality of alumina on a display device; receiving, via the one or more hardware processors, a set of desired quality parameters for the quality of alumina from a user; identifying, via the one or more hardware processors, an optimum set of parameters by satisfying a predetermined criterion based on the received set of desired quality parameters; and displaying, via the one or more hardware processors, the identified optimum set of parameters on the display device.