Anand Mahindra (born 1 May 1955) is an Indian businessman and the chairman of the Mahindra Group, a Mumbai-based conglomerate with interests in vehicles, farm equipment, information technology, finance, holidays and aerospace. Under his leadership Mahindra & Mahindra became the world’s largest tractor maker by volume and a leading maker of sport utility vehicles. He is also one of the most followed business figures on social media in India.
Quick Facts
| Full name | Anand Gopal Mahindra |
| Born | 1 May 1955, Bombay (now Mumbai), India |
| Age | 71 |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Position | Chairman, Mahindra Group |
| Education | Lawrence School, Lovedale; Harvard College (B.A. 1977); Harvard Business School (MBA 1981) |
| Spouse | Anuradha Mahindra |
| Children | 2 (Divya and Aalika) |
| Honour | Padma Bhushan (2020) |
Early Life
Mahindra is the grandson of Jagdish Chandra Mahindra, who founded the company with his brother Kailash Chandra in 1945 to assemble Willys jeeps. He went to boarding school at Lovedale in the Nilgiris, studied film at Harvard College, graduating with honours in 1977, and took an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1981.
Career
He began at Mahindra Ugine Steel as an executive assistant and became its head in 1989, leading it into real estate and hospitality. In 1991 he moved to Mahindra & Mahindra as deputy managing director, where he faced down a hostile workforce at the Kandivali plant to raise productivity. He became managing director in 1997.
The Scorpio, an SUV designed in-house and launched in 2002, changed the company’s image. Mahindra bought the tractor maker Punjab Tractors, the scandal-hit software firm Satyam Computer Services in 2009, which became part of Tech Mahindra, the electric car maker Reva and the Korean SUV maker SsangYong. He also co-founded Kotak Mahindra Finance with Uday Kotak in 1986. He became chairman of the group in 2012, succeeding his uncle Keshub Mahindra.
He stepped back from executive duties to become non-executive chairman in 2021. The group has since had strong success with the Thar, XUV700 and Scorpio-N and has launched a range of electric SUVs.
Philanthropy and Public Profile
In 1996 he founded Project Nanhi Kali, which supports the schooling of underprivileged girls. He has donated to Harvard’s humanities centre, which bears his family’s name. On X (formerly Twitter) he has more than ten million followers and is known for sharing inventive ideas from ordinary Indians, sometimes rewarding them with a vehicle.
Personal Life
Mahindra is married to Anuradha, a journalist and magazine publisher. They have two daughters.
Awards and Honours
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was Anand Mahindra born?
Anand Mahindra was born on 1 May 1955 in Bombay (now Mumbai), India and is 71 years old.
What is Anand Mahindra’s occupation?
Occupation: Businessman.
Featured image: Anand Mahindra at the World Economic Forum annual meeting, Davos, January 2013. Photo by World Economic Forum, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
