Mahindra and Mahindra | The name you know, the history you don’t

From introducing the Indians to the world of jeeps through their CJ jeeps to making the safest car of India, the XUV300, Mahindra has come a long way since its inception. The made-in-India brand has been known for the innovative approach spread across over 20 fields. There is just one moto the company follows – “To Rise”. The company started its operation even before independence. Let’s dive into the history of the brand that is more than just a name.

1945 – M&M Is Incorporated

When the brand came into existence, it was called Muhammad and Mahindra. The company was formed by J.C. Mahindra; K.C. Mahindra and Malik Ghulam Muhammad in Ludhiana, Punjab with an objective of trading steel.

1947 – The Partition

When the whole country was celebrating the independence, people in Punjab were struck upon by the blow of partition. The country was divided into two parts, namely India and Pakistan. Malik Ghulam Muhammad decided to leave India and the company too. After emigrating to Pakistan, he became the first finance minister of the newly born country. In this year only, 75 Jeeps from Willys Overland Export Corporation, come to India via CKD route, assembled at Mazagaon, Bombay.

1948 – There’s a lot in a name

Following the withdrawal of Muhammad, K.C. Mahindra changed the name to Mahindra and Mahindra in 1948.

The company started trading steel with companies from the UK. In the meantime, Mahindra also obtained the license for manufacturing Willys Jeeps in India. Mahindra began producing Willys CJ3A jeep in 1949. This was the first-ever off-roader to be made by the company. CJ3A was a 4-wheel drive off-roader that was introduced for the Indian audience. Within a span of 4 years, the CJ3A was upgraded to CJ3B by Willys after it was bought by Kaiser Motors. This generation of CJ was licensed to Mitsubishi in Japan and Mahindra and Mahindra in India.

1955 – The Company goes public

On 15th June 1955, Mahindra and Mahindra’s shares were listed on the Bombay stock exchange. The foundation for the legacy was laid. The company began the advent towards the future.

1961 – M&M and International Harvester, USA 

The Indian automaker back in 1961 collaborated with the USA based manufacturer of agriculture machinery, construction equipment, trucks etc. to manufacture tractors. Tractors division was born.

1983 – The Pinnacle In Tractor Market

Mahindra became the largest selling tractor maker in India, the feat which is still on. No other manufacturer has been able to challenge the top position in the past three decades.

2000 – New century, new logo

The company got a new logo which displayed the companies vision and preparation of roads ahead. This year also marked the introduction of India’s largest selling SUV for ten years in a row – The Bolero.

Taking the SUV segment ahead, the company launched the Scorpio in 2002. Then another SUV was added to the lineup nearly 9 years later. The XUV500 was born.

Famous BEASTS from the company

Mahindra is known for the SUVs and offroading jeeps it has launched time by time. Let’s have a look at the iconic vehicles introduced by the company.

• Mahindra Bolero

  

  Based on the Mahindra Armada Grand, Bolero was launched in India in 2000, the time when the market was ruled by the likes of Maruti 800 and Hyundai Santro. SUV segment was not a big hit at that time. But Bolero came in with a storm. Powerful engine, sturdy dynamics and competent pricing made it a hit in the market. The SUV was loved so much by the Indians that Bolero remained the best selling SUV for a straight 10 years.

• Mahindra Scorpio

  

  Launched in 2002, Scorpio was the first Mahindra vehicle to be manufactured for the global market. Powered by the 2.2-litre mHawk engine, SUV became a huge success following the footsteps of its sibling, Bolero. Being the first global product, the company made sure it had all the features one would like to have in the SUV. This is the reason that by 2002, an estimated ₹550crores were spent on the research and development of the SUV.

• Mahindra Thar

  

  This was the torchbearer of Mahindra’s legacy of 4X4 vehicles. It was launched in 2010 to fill in the space left by the Major after discontinuation. Within no time the Thar became one of the most famous off-roaders in the market. It was a tough competition to the Maruti Suzuki Gypsy, one of the most popular 4X4 at that time. The SUV was given two diesel engine options: a 2.6-litre and a 2.5-litre. Both the engines were capable of producing over 63hp of power and 182Nm of torque.
  Have a look: Mahindra Thar | The Jeep CJ Made For and Made In India

• XUV500

  

  This modernised SUV was launched back in 2011, adding another SUV in the Live Young, Live Free segment. Equipped with safety features like EBD, ABS, Airbags, rollover mitigation, Hill hold and descent control, ESP and many others, the XUV500 (Pronounced XUV 5 Double ‘O’) became a huge success.

• XUV300

  

  In 2019, Mahindra introduced their subcompact SUV which set the bar high in terms of safety. Rated 5-star at the Global NCAP, XUV300 is termed to be the safest car made-in-India yet. The car scored 4-star in child occupancy safety which is the highest for any Indian car.

Anand Mahindra – The man behind the modern-day Mahindra

Born with a silver spoon is what many people will say for Anand Mahindra. But his hard work and unique leadership is the reason for the brand’s at-present stance in the global market. He joined the venture back in 1981, as an Executive Assistant to the Finance Director. Within 16 years, Anand Mahindra was appointed as the Managing Director of Mahindra and Mahindra. The company has reached the pinnacle of success, all thanks to this guy and his team.

Mahindra and Mahindra – The Ventures

The global brand has vitally excelled in various ventures across various countries. Here is the list of all the ventures that are currently run by the Indian multinational conglomerate holding company.

• Aerospace
• Automotive
• Agriculture Industry
• Boats
• Clean Energy
• Defence
• Construction Equipment
• Consulting
• Information Technology
• Farm Equipment
• Hospitality
• Power backup
• Logistics
• Insurance broking
• Rural Housing Finance
• Retail
• Real Estate and Infrastructure
• Mahindra 2-wheeler
• Trucks and Buses
• Mahindra Steel

Mahindra’s Future Plans

At the Auto Expo 2020, the company showcased a whole new series of engines named mStallion which will be powering the future vehicles of the company. Mahindra was the first company to introduce CRDi engines in India through its mHawk series. Mahindra has been treading on the road of innovation and success and the future seems to be no less than this. With the ever-growing ventures, the Group will surely keep on making the country grand at the global scale.

With the ever growing Indian market and many foreign brands investing, the road towards the future is full of roadblocks. Anand Mahindra with his team comprising of members like Dr Pawan Goenka, Dr Anish Shah and many others will surely overcome these and Rise.