‘Built like tanks’: Netizens react after Anand Mahindra hails ‘humble tractors’ following Wayanad landslides

Anand Mahindra, the Mahindra Group Chairman, praised the “underrated capabilities” of tractors, which can ride on rough terrain and perform at par with SUVs. Both vehicles were used to rescue people during the Wayanad landslides.

In a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday, Anand Mahindra said, “Humble tractors don’t grab as much attention as SUVs for work they both perform during disasters.”

His post continues, “Hence happy to see this news from the Wayanad floods. Our Team works harder to build products knowing they may be used not just to plough fields but occasionally to save lives.”

The series of Wayanad landslides that occurred on July 30 this year, triggered by torrential rains, claimed over 400 lives and displaced many. One of the most harrowing natural disasters this year in India, worstly affected Chooralmala, Muthanga, and Mundakkai areas in Kerala's Wayanad.

Netizens reacted strongly to Anand Mahindra's post. Commending Anand Mahindra, one user commented, “Your tractors and the hard work of your team during the Wayanad floods once again proved that the importance of your products is not limited to ploughing fields but is also extremely important in saving lives during emergencies.”

A second user said, “Using those massive tractors for disaster management could be a game-changer. They're built like tanks and could tackle situations where regular vehicles just don’t function.” A third user wrote, “Mahindra Tractors are the unsung heroes, stepping up when it matters most.”

A fourth user stated, “People would have never thought that small Mahindra tractor would ever be a so part of remote mobility." He added, "We make house and want building material, they are just a call away and transport the material in our gali where big tractors can't even enter.”

The Kerala cabinet subcommittee on August 14 said that ₹10,000 in financial assistance was provided to 379 families impacted by the landslides, reported ANI. According to a study, human-caused climate change was behind the intense rainfall, about 10 per cent heavier than usual. The World Weather Attribution (WWA) labelled the Wayanad landslides "once in a 50-year event."