Get All Access for $5/mo

Mahindra Chairman Emeritus Keshub Mahindra Passes Away At 99 He was an exemplary statesman and an irreplaceable figure in Indian industry, revered for his vision, his business acumen, his leadership by example, and above all, for his uncompromising professional integrity

By Teena Jose

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.

Mr Keshub Mahindra

Keshub Mahindra, the chairman emeritus of Mahindra & Mahindra, passed away at the age of 99 on Wednesday. The 99-year-old, nonagenarian, was a well-known philanthropist who redefined good corporate governance in India. He was an exemplary statesman and an irreplaceable figure in Indian industry, revered for his vision, his business acumen, his leadership by example, and above all, for his uncompromising professional integrity.

"Mr Keshub Mahindra was and will always remain a source of inspiration for me and the entire Mahindra Group. He was a man of principles and led from the front to preserve the legacy of our founders which has ensured that the organisation has remained rooted in ethics, values and good corporate governance. Keshub Mahindra was known for his astute business acumen that helped in transforming Mahindra into a diversified federation of companies. His compassion, and people-centric approach made him a global business icon, who was much loved and respected," said Anand Mahindra, chairman, Mahindra Group

Born on October 9, 1923, in Shimla, Keshub Mahindra was an alumnus of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, USA. He joined Mahindra & Mahindra in 1947 and took on the role of Chairman in 1963. Under his stewardship, the company was transformed from its beginnings as a steel trading company to a diversified federation of companies. Mr Keshub Mahindra has also served on several Boards and Councils in both the private and public domain, including SAIL, Tata Steel, Tata Chemicals, Indian Hotels, IFC and ICICI. He was also the Founder Chairman of HUDCO (Housing and Urban Development Corporation Limited); Vice-Chairman of Housing Development Finance Corporation Ltd; Chairman Mahindra Ugine Steel Co. Ltd; Director of Bombay Dyeing & Manufacturing Co. Ltd. and Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation Limited.

Saddened by the sudden demise of the veteran, Pawan K Goenka, chairman of INSPACe has tweeted that, "The industrial world has lost one of the tallest personalities today. Shri Keshub Mahindra had no match; the nicest person I had the privilege of knowing. I always looked forward to meetings with him and was inspired by how he connected business, economics and social matters. Om Shanti."

Teena Jose

News Desk Reporter with Entrepreneur India

Teena is a post graduate in financial journalism. She has an avid interest in content creation, digital media and fashion.
News and Trends

Recur Club Announces Credit Offerings for Startups Beyond Series A and SMEs

In FY 24–25, the platform also plans to deploy an additional INR 2000 crores through its Recur Swift program for startups.

News and Trends

Uber Launches Moto Women in Bengaluru, Connecting Female Riders with Female Drivers

Uber Moto Women aims to ensure safety with real-time trip sharing, anonymised contact details, and RideCheck monitoring for irregularities. It also offers 24x7 priority support via Uber's Safety Helpline for women riders and drivers.

News and Trends

Indian Venture Ecosystem Poised for Global Ascent: Recovery, IPO Resurgence, and 'Building for Bharat' to Define 2025

India's GDP is poised to scale from USD 4 trillion to USD 8 trillion over the next decade and will offer a playground that is remarkable for both founders and venture capital (VC) firms, said Pranav Pai, Founding Partner and CIO at 3one4 Capital.

News and Trends

Talent, Digital Infra, Policy, and Startups Driving India's GCC Ecosystem

By leveraging its demographic dividend and evolving policies, India is uniquely positioned to become the preferred choice for global enterprises seeking scalability, resilience, and a future-ready operational base.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Starting a Business

Nearly 50% of America's Workforce Has a Secondary Source of Income or Side Hustle. Here Are 7 Steps You Should Take to Create Lasting Value for Yours.

Today's entrepreneurs have the opportunity to generate long-lasting supplementary income if they take these steps.