‘Source of pride’: Anand Mahindra pens emotional note for Pawan Goenka as he buys his first EV; who is he?

Anand Mahindra on Thursday penned an emotional post for the Mahindra and Mahindra's former MD and CEO Pawan Goenka, as he bought his first electric vehicle.

Taking to X, Anand Mahindra shared a video of Pawan Goenka getting his hands on his first EV, a Mahindra XEV 9e.

“This is not just another video for me,” he wrote sharing the video.

Watch the video here:

In the video, Pawan Goenka is heard saying that that Mahindra XEV 9e is his first EV.

Who is Pawan Goenka?

Pawan Goenka served as M&M's MD and CEO from November 2016 till his retirement.

Goenka, who joined Mahindra in 1993 as a general manager, rose to higher ranks in the company during his stint that lasted till 2021.

He was appointed to the post of Executive Director of Mahindra & Mahindra in 2013. In April 2014, he took over the additional responsibility of the two wheeler business.

He was appointed to the post of Executive Director of Mahindra & Mahindra in 2013 and in April 2014, he took over the additional responsibility of the two wheeler business.

Following his retirement in 2021, Pawan Goenka was appointed as the chairperson of INSPACe.

He is also a national council member of CII, and chairman of board of governors of IIT Madras.

Pawan Goenka earned his B. Tech. from IIT, Kanpur and Ph.D. from Cornell University in the US. He also holds a degree in Advanced Management Program from Harvard Business School.

Anand Mahindra's heartfelt post for Pawan Goenka

In his X post, Anand Mahindra shared an emotional note for Pawan Goenka.

“When Pawan Goenka decided to return to India in the early ‘90s, leaving behind a job at General Motors, I managed to convince him to join @Mahindra_Auto at Nashik as Deputy Head of R&D,” he wrote.

Despite challenges, Mahindra recalled how Goenka stayed on.

“He often relates how when he first went to Nashik and saw the R&D ‘shed’ and its rudimentary state, he began questioning his decision to come back. However, he stayed on, and as the Head of R&D, he led the development of the Scorpio,” he said.

The Mahindra Group chairperson highlighted his journey at the company.

“He eventually rose to become the MD & CEO of M&M Ltd, and through his entire tenure at the company, laid the foundations of the World class R&D centre we have today,” he said.

“Post his retirement, he is leading In-Space, a Department of Space company as its Chairman and has been recently awarded a Padma Shri,” Mahindra added.

The industrialist expressed his pride regarding his friend and his wife.

“When I see Pawan and his wife Mamta buying one of our first electric origin SUVs, I am flooded by emotions and memories of working alongside him,” he said.

“I see a man who can take pride in helping to propel the Indian Auto Industry into the future; I see a man endorsing and enjoying the fruits of his own labour. So, as I said, this is not ordinary video for me. It is a source of pride and joy,” Mahindra added.