Entering The World Of Mahindra - Rise For Good | Abhilash Banubakde, IIM Lucknow

I came to Mumbai with the same philosophy, inspired by none other than the legend himself – the Chairman of Mahindra group, Mr. Anand Mahindra. Mumbai has always been my second home and Mahindra made it even more comfortable for me to settle in. The company truly lives up to its expectation of being one of the most caring companies when it comes to taking care of its employees. It believes that the change starts from home and by home, it means the company. Unless you take care of your family members, you cannot think of taking care of the world. In that sense, Mahindra’s culture is exceptional.

My journey at Mahindra began with the induction programme, which I felt was very well crafted. The GMC programme is already very well-known and experiencing it personally is an unforgettable experience. The programme entails sessions from all the top leaders at Mahindra along with fun-filled interactive activities. The insights that one can gauge from these notable speakers should be the most valuable asset for any GMC intern. I personally got to know the working of a giant like Mahindra and how the company has been developed over the years. The challenges that these leaders faced and the way they handled it is something that I really admire. Mahindra truly is a pioneer in Innovation – the first mover in electric vehicles itself tells you that how much ahead the company is in comparison to its competitors. I came to know about so many things which were new to me and it has definitely blown my mind away. Mahindra is much bigger than one can think of!

The highlight of the program was the visit to Mr. Anand Mahindra’s home and the session that we had with him. To our surprise, rather than giving us some philosophical lessons, Mr. Mahindra asked us about our ideas regarding the upcoming elections – my favourite area of discussion. It was a memorable experience for me as I got the perfect platform to voice my opinions about the deplorable state of Indian politics. I realized that the youth of India really need to be aware of facts rather than be wooed by the brilliant marketing strategies of political parties. Mr. Mahindra very smartly related the qualities of both major parties’ leaders with what we should possess. The session was very enriching as not only did I get to know the mindset of budding CXOs of the country but also what Mr. Mahindra thinks of the current and future scenario of the country.

The second highlight for me was the Design Thinking workshop which encouraged us to think out-of-the-box. The solutions to major life problems introduced in this session were in fact thought-provoking. For example, a simple donate sticker on the tiffin box can solve the problem of the entire city of Mumbai– this idea introduced by Mumbai dabbawalas is not only brilliant but also inspiring.

Post induction, we all joined our respective teams. My team, Corporate Brand Strategy, is referred to as the coolest team in the company and rightly so. Being a part of the team itself is a motivational factor as we work towards increasing the brand equity of Mahindra Group by trying to change the perception of people towards Mahindra. The processes followed to do the same are unique in itself and there’s a lot in store for me to learn and grow. The most important thing that all these experiences had taught me is to - Rise. Rise for the betterment of oneself, Rise for the upliftment of society, Rise for the sustainability of Planet – Mahindra: Rise for Good.