[anjan_c2007]

Keshub Mahindra (09.10.1923-12. 04.2023) who was Chairman, Mahindra and Mahindra from 1963- 2012 and who was listed very recently in the Forbes list of India's oldest billionaires, has passed away today at age 99. He was head of the $19 billion conglomerate for 50 years, which saw the transformation and diversification of M&M into several sectors including tractors, IT, two wheelers (though no successes reported yet), software, hospitality, real estate and more. From an utility vehicle maker to a diversified conglomerate, the M&M story under his tutelage has been glorious.



Belonging to the old generation of Indian automobile CEO's, his contemporaries included J. R. D. Tata (Tata Sons), Rahul Bajaj (Bajaj Auto), H. P. Nanda (Escorts), B. M. Birla/ C.K. Birla (HM), M.A. Chidambaram (API), Lalchand Hirachand/Vinod Doshi (PAL), Venu Srinivasan (TVS Group), C.V. Karthik Narayanan/ A.C. Muthaiah (Standard Motors) and others.

Anand Mahindra is his nephew. The late industrialist Keshub Mahindra was the son of Kailash Chandra Mahindra, who had with his brother Jagdish Chandra Mahindra and Malik Ghulam Mohammed founded the company Mahindra and Mohammed in Ludhiana on 02/10/1945. By 1948, the company became Mahindra and Mahindra as Malik Ghulam had migrated to Pakistan.

Keshub Mahindra had served as the non-executive Chairman of Union Carbide India Limited at the time the Bhopal gas tragedy took place in December 1984, in which 3,787 people died. He with six of his employees were sentenced to two years in prison in June 2010 and fined Rs 100,000. A bail order was thereafter immediately pronounced too.

Coming to the brighter side of his career, he was a graduate of the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. Till the 1960's and 70's most orders for utility vehicles that Mahindra got were for government/semi-government purchases. Annual sales would be a steady 6000-8000 units. Pulling off the Station Wagon from Willys that M&M had launched around 1957, around 1964-65 the Willys FC series (FC-160) of 4X4 pickup trucks and driveway chassis were launched under his leadership. The driveway chassis gave flexibility to buyers to build vans, ambulances and so on. It was a first major decision under the new Chairman's tenure. Since they had licences for a 4X4 mid-sized utility vehicle and also a larger utility vehicle, the latter licence was used to the hilt to swap models from the Willys portfolio. Next came the right hand drive, Jeep (brand Willys was shelved by its new US based principals viz American Motors Corpn) branded UV's and FC series mini trucks in the summer of 1968. Very soon M&M also launched the Jeep CJ-4A with a longer wheelbase and chassis that would be sold alongside the CJ-3B. The latter was discontinued by 1972, but its production continued for military use UV’s.

Another major decision from the early 1960's was diversifying into tractor manufacturing, after collaborating with International Harvester, USA since 1962. M&M is now the world's largest tractor maker. M&M wanted more of its pie from four wheels and in the licence raj, the opportunities were very, very limited. Hence, the tractor manufacturing was an ”out of the box" thinking.

Another googly by M&M was around 1975, when their existing International tractor B-275 diesel engine that was badged as the MD 2350 and mated with the age old Willys three speed gear box (first gear non synchromesh) and launched their CJ 500 D, just post the oil crises of late 1973. Other car makers were still in deep slumber. HM woke up around late 1979 with its Mark 4 diesel launch and PAL woke up very, very late by 1993 with its Premier 137D (based on its Padmini body shell) and the Premier 1.38 D (based on 118 NE). Such was the magic of Keshub Mahindra, the visionary CEO, who saw to his group's survival and success even during the licence raj.

By the early 1980's when the doors were partially opened, he collaborated with Peugeot for manufacture of a newer, rugged diesel engine. Zeroing in on the 2112 cc/65 bhp, XDP 4.90 engine, this M&M decided would be their next power plant for the utility vehicles on the CJ-4A body shell. The versatility and ruggedness had by then been tested on the African soil, where infrastructure conditions were worse than those in India and hence Peugeot was selected.

By 1984, he foresaw the Maruti Gypsy's arrival from the Far East, that would offer a stiff competition to M&M unless it upgraded its age old CJ-4A body and chassis and its extended versions, that were almost reaching limousine lengths. These long CJ-4 A's could be sighted in the rural hinterland carrying 25-30 passengers, hanging and roof seated included. The Jeep CJ-7 influenced Mahindra 540 DP was launched in 1984 and it soon became an instant hit. And the Mahindra 540 DP used the Kia BA-10 gearbox. Keshub Mahindra saw that the East and West met and it happened in 1984, when Kia was unheard of. This new 540 DP body shell would thereafter give Mahindra its new Commander, Armada, Marshal and later Armada Grand, the latter with a new Peugeot XD-3P diesel. This new power plant would be later fitted to the Bolero launched in the late 1990's. But the BS norms saw the premature exit of this new workhorse, power plant from M&M. Having used the Bolero with this engine for long distance travels, I found that it was rugged, flawless, enduring and could run long stretches for days together at 80-90 kmph all day long.

Another innovative ides was the launch of a niche product in the early 1990’s, the Mahindra Classic, primarily a spruced up CJ-3B with the Peugeot XDP 4.90 engine. The niche was soon created that earned its own fan following. The Mahindra Legend and the Thar are the Classic’s worthy successors. Mahindra Classics in mint condition attract very good resale values these days. The CJ-4A body shell was not shelved by M&M and catered mostly to the rural taxi segment till the late 1990's. It got a new avatar as the Mahindra Major by the turn of the millennium.

The collaboration with Ford in the mid 1990's and with Renault around 2005 were called off within a few years, as something missing was sensed by M&M that could not be in its future interests.

By the time the Scorpio was to be launched (2003) Anand Mahindra had reached a decision making position as Managing Director. Though Keshub Mahindra was Chairman in 2003, he had given a free hand to his nephew to take major decisions.

The late visionary philanthropist and industrialist's able way to steer the company has made it a great survivor in the MNC dominated auto industry of today. He had shown the way even during the licence raj with his vision and ingenuity. His thoughts, words and deeds are still an inspiration for M&M which continues to grow. Only Tata and Mahindra are major Indian bred car makers as of now, offering their stiff competition to MNC's with contemporary products while others from the licence raj era have gone into wilderness.

[jeeva]

Remember his signature on the Mahindra Legend.
Om Shanthi.

[TusharK]

Keshub Mahindra, Chairman Emeritus of Mahindra & Mahindra, has passed away at the age of 99.



Keshub Mahindra led the Mahindra Group for 48 years, before handing over the reins to his nephew, Anand Mahindra in 2012. During this tenure, the company expanded into other sectors like IT, real estate, financial services and hospitality.

Keshub Mahindra was born on October 23, 1923, in Shimla. He graduated from Wharton, University of Pennsylvania, USA, and joined Mahindra & Mahindra in 1947. He was appointed as the Chairman in 1963.

Mahindra was also appointed to the Boards and Councils of companies like SAIL, Tata Steel, Tata Chemicals, Indian Hotels, IFC and ICICI. He was also the Founder Chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Corporation Ltd (HUDCO), Vice-Chairman of HDFC, chairman of Mahindra Ugine Steel Co. Ltd., and Director of Bombay Dyeing and Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation Ltd.

Source: ET

Link to Team-BHP News

[anjan_c2007]

Some images from the M&M newsletter of October-December 1992 when the Armada was launched. These images have fond memories of Keshub Mahindra, from when he was firmly on the saddle at M&M.





The Armada had arrived !



Automobile sales figures in India for 1991 and 1992



Seen with the South Korean delegation led by Kim Sum Hong, Chairman, Kia Motors Corporation. Anand Mahindra is also seen. Incidentally, Kia's BA-10 gearbox was used for the Peugeot XDP 4.90 diesel engine, that came full circle with the launch of the MM540DP in 1984. Way back then, Kia was an almost unknown entity with whom Keshub Mahindra took the risk of partnering with. Hyundai had around late 1986 sent its first consignment of the Hyundai Pony to the US when many of these were rejected by the Americans as cheap Asian imports, mainly due to quality niggles. But fortunately for M&M there were no niggles from the Kia BA-10 gearbox, that ran on the tough and not so tough terrains with ease. The rest is history!

The images to the left show Keshub Mahindra in the company of J.R.D. Tata, Dr P.C. Alexander, Governor of Maharashtra and John Major, Prime Minister of U.K.



At Nagpur, where M&M has a flourishing tractor plant. Keshub Mahindra had planted an orange sapling in 1991 that had grown as a tree in 1992

[anjan_c2007]

Today, marks the 100th Birthday of ex- Mahindra and Mahindra Chairman Emeritus, Mr Keshub Mahindra. Our posthumous birthday greetings to Keshubji.

Acknowledging my letter dated 09.07.1990 with sketches and suggestions for a refresh job on the Mahindra CJ340 to Mr Keshub Mahindra, Mr M.M. Bhavnani, the then Sr General Manager, Mahindra and Mahindra on his behalf, replied to me through this letter dated 21.07.1990. The promptness with which the reply was sent is appreciable.