On a night when the best cars and two-wheelers of the year bagged the most coveted accolades in the Indian automotive industry, Mahindra’s Rajesh Jejurikar secured the 2024 car&bike Business Leader of the Year award. Jejurikar, who is Mahindra’s Executive Director and CEO for the Auto & Farm divisions, has played a crucial role in ensuring the Indian passenger vehicle manufacturer has emerged stronger despite the challenges of the last 12 months, putting Mahindra in a commanding position on the Indian auto stage.
Jejurikar’s involvement has been pivotal to Mahindra’s evolution from a maker of simple, but tough-as-nails SUVs, to an aspirational and progressive company that has consolidated its strengths while carving out a clear path for its future.
Rolling out three blockbuster models – the Thar, XUV700 and Scorpio N – was one thing, but to meet burgeoning demand was quite another. Even in the face of challenges that emerged in the form of global component shortages, Jejurikar and his team found a way to keep SUVs rolling off the production line in large quantities, resulting in the brand clocking sales of more than 2 lakh units in two consecutive quarters in FY2024, and putting it on course for its best-ever sales in a financial year.
Also Read: Mahindra Signs Supply Agreement To Source Volkswagen’s Unified Cell, MEB Components For INGLO EVs
Sticking to making only SUVs was a bold and early call, but one that has held Mahindra in good stead. As other manufacturers try to build their image as SUV-first brands, Mahindra is now perceived as the true-blue Indian SUV brand, which has gone a long way in enhancing the appeal of its highest-selling models.
At the same time, Mahindra has also planned meticulously for the future, with the development of its born-electric vehicles – which will be available in a variety of flavours – well underway. The vision to source key EV components from the Volkswagen Group, too, speaks volumes of the thought and effort that has gone into Mahindra Automotive’s future model line-up strategy, which Jejurikar has played a key role in bringing to life.
