Fourth K.C. Mahindra award for auto design

Mumbai, September 22, 2006: Mahindra & Mahindra, the leader in the utility vehicle and tractor markets in India, today awarded the winners of the fourth K. C. Mahindra Award for Excellence in Automotive Design 2006. Instituted in 2003, to foster creativity and innovation in automotive design among budding automotive designers and engineers, the award focused on the "Rural Transport Solution" theme this year. Mr. Shamit Srivastav from the Center for Product Design & Manufacturing, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore was the first runner-up winning a cash prize of Rs 50,000 while, Ms Divya Sharma, Mr. Vaibhav Anand, Mr. Abhishek Singh and Mr Vijay Kshatriya, all representing the National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad shared the spot for the second runner-up respectively, winning a cash prize of Rs 25,000.

Mr. Shamit Srivastav created an out of box concept combining feature of a Utility Vehicle with tractor operational requirement while the NID team created concepts covering storage and seating options. The first prize was not awarded to any contestant as no entry could qualify for the position.

Expressing enthusiasm on the talent demonstrated, Dr. Pawan Goenka, President "� Automotive Sector, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. said, "The growing response to the K. C. Mahindra Award for Excellence in Automotive Design signifies the interest and conviction students have bestowed upon us. We have been successful in providing a platform that encourages open-ended thinking among students and it is heartening to notice that the entries demonstrate various innovative and new-age aspects of vehicle designing. This augurs well for the Indian automotive industry that is on strong growth path. At the end, everybody is a winner in this talent hunt and all of them have a bright future ahead of them."

Dr. Arun Jaura, Senior Vice President - Product Development, Automotive Sector, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. said, "Given the challenging assignment, the contenders for the K. C. Mahindra Award this year have really outdone each other in several key areas. Having seen the talent, we are confident that nurturing and grooming these young minds will help bring out some of the best contemporary solutions for transportation needs of the Indian customers. I am very excited with the quality of talent available in India and wish these individuals all the very best in achieving their dreams."

The fourth edition of the K. C. Mahindra Award for Excellence in Automotive Design 2006 attracted over 100 entries from some of the top institutions in the country such as the NID, Ahmedabad, Indian Institute of Technology, Rourkee, Centre for Product Design and Manufacturing "� IISc Bangalore, among others.

The entries were judged by two highly qualified veterans- Mr S M Sarawate, Vice President, R&D, Mahindra & Mahindra "� Farm Equipment Sector and Dr Vijay Bapat, Head of Department, Industrial Design Center, Indian Institute of Technology, Powai. The awards were judged on the basis of their originality and futuristic considerations, practicability of the concept, contents of write-up, aesthetic blending with vehicle style, vehicle packaging and quality of sketches and drawings.

About The Mahindra Group

The US $3 billion Mahindra Group is among the top 10 industrial houses in India. Mahindra & Mahindra is the only Indian company among the top five tractor manufacturers in the world and is the market leader in multi-utility vehicles in India. It has a leading presence in key sectors of the Indian economy, including trade and financial services (Mahindra Intertrade, Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services Ltd.), automotive components, information technology & telecom (Tech Mahindra, Bristlecone), and infrastructure development (Mahindra GESCO, Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India Ltd., Mahindra World City). With around 60 years of manufacturing experience, the Mahindra Group has built a strong base in technology, engineering, marketing and distribution. The Group employs around 30,000 people and has eight state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in India spread over 500,000 square meters.

The Mahindra Group has ambitious global aspirations and has a presence in 20 countries spread across four continents. Mahindra products are today available in every continent except Antarctica. M&M has made strategic acquisitions of plants in China and the UK, and has 2 assembly plants in the USA. Its global subsidiaries include Mahindra Europe Srl. based in Italy, Mahindra USA Inc. and Mahindra South Africa. M&M has entered into partnerships with international companies like Renault, France, and International trucks, USA. The Group is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2005-06.