Who is Velusamy R at Mahindra?

Velusamy R is the President of Automotive Technology and Product Development at Mahindra & Mahindra. He is responsible for vehicle engineering, powertrains, platform development, and Mahindra’s global SUV and electric vehicle strategy.

What is the education background of “Velu Garu”?

Velusamy R studied in a Tamil-medium government school in rural Tamil Nadu. He later pursued engineering education in India and joined Mahindra as a design engineer in the mid-1990s, building his career through hands-on automotive development rather than elite institutional networks.

Which cars did Velusamy R design?

Velusamy R played a key engineering and leadership role in the development of major Mahindra vehicles, including: Mahindra Scorpio Scorpio-N XUV700 He also leads development of Mahindra’s Born Electric (BE) and XUV.e electric vehicle platforms.

Is Velusamy R the President of Mahindra Automotive?

Yes. As of 2026, Velusamy R serves as President at Mahindra & Mahindra, overseeing automotive technology, product development, and electric vehicle programs.

Velusamy R Biography: Mahindra President Behind Scorpio, XUV700 & EV Strategy

1. Introduction: The Professional Timeline of Velusamy R.

Velusamy R.’s career represents a contrast that is rare in the global automotive industry. He began his education in a Tamil-medium government school in rural Tamil Nadu and rose through the technical ranks to become President at Mahindra & Mahindra, one of India’s largest automotive manufacturers with multi-billion-dollar global operations.

He joined Mahindra in the mid-1990s as a design engineer, not through elite academic networks but as a core mechanical professional. Over nearly three decades inside the same organization, he moved from engineering execution to platform leadership and, eventually, corporate strategy.

As of 2026, Velusamy oversees Mahindra’s Electric Vehicle (EV) transition, global SUV portfolio, and advanced R&D operations—at a time when the company is repositioning itself for international markets and electrification.

2. Early Life: The Tamil-Medium Foundation

Velusamy R. was born and raised in rural Tamil Nadu, where formal English-medium education and global exposure were limited. He studied in a government-run Tamil-medium school, a background uncommon among senior executives in multinational automotive companies.

This limitation shaped his professional approach early. Instead of presentation fluency or managerial polish, his strengths developed around core mechanical understanding, hands-on testing, and problem isolation.

During the early phase of his career, he competed internally with engineers educated at IITs and foreign universities. Former colleagues and internal accounts describe him as a “homegrown engineer” who relied on design validation and field performance, rather than credentials or networks, to advance.

3. Career Breakout: Scorpio and the XUV700 Platform

Velusamy’s first major industry recognition came through his involvement in Mahindra’s Scorpio program, a vehicle that reshaped the Indian SUV market in the early 2000s. However, his defining career shift occurred when he transitioned from a powertrain/design role to platform leadership.

That transition culminated in his leadership of the W601 project, later launched as the XUV700.

Under his technical leadership:

Mahindra developed the mHawk (diesel) and mStallion (petrol) engines.
The XUV700 achieved a 5-star Global NCAP safety rating, a first for Mahindra at that scale.
The vehicle recorded strong booking volumes immediately after launch, despite supply constraints.

The XUV700 became a proof point that Mahindra could deliver global-grade monocoque SUVs, not just rugged ladder-frame vehicles.

4. Technical Mechanics & Strategic Direction

Velusamy is closely associated with Mahindra’s internal engineering philosophy of “First Time Right” (FTR)—a focus on reducing rework by validating designs aggressively during development.

One of his key strategic calls was pushing Mahindra to:

Transition from ladder-frame chassis dominance
Toward monocoque platforms suitable for global crash and emissions standards

He also played a central role in strengthening Mahindra Research Valley (MRV) in Chennai, which functions as the company’s primary R&D hub. Under his leadership, MRV expanded into:

Powertrain development
Vehicle dynamics
EV architectures
Advanced testing and simulation

5. Rare Anecdotes: The “Homegrown” Incidents

Incident 1: Scorpio-N Extreme Weather Testing (2021–2022)
During extreme temperature testing for the Scorpio-N, Velusamy reportedly stayed on-site through multiple test cycles to personally review thermal and NVH data. Internal teams noted that several calibration changes were approved on the spot, avoiding months of delay.

Incident 2: “Velu Garu” and Anand Mahindra
In a January 2026 edition of Anand Mahindra’s Monday Motivation, Mahindra publicly referenced Velusamy as “Velu Garu,” a term of respect. The post highlighted his long internal journey rather than any single success, marking a rare moment of public recognition for a career spent largely behind the scenes.

Incident 3: Engine Vibration Resolution
During development of one of Mahindra’s engines, international consultants reportedly failed to isolate a persistent vibration issue. Velusamy’s team traced the problem to mount geometry and load transfer, not the engine block itself—leading to a resolution without redesigning the core engine architecture.

6. Public Image & the Monday Motivation Narrative

For most of his career, Velusamy avoided the spotlight. That changed gradually between 2024 and 2026, as Mahindra began highlighting internal leadership to signal technical credibility to global investors and partners.

Anand Mahindra’s public endorsements repositioned him from:

A senior engineering leader
to
One of the faces of Indian automotive capability

This shift aligned with Mahindra’s global ambitions rather than personal branding.

7. Professional Challenges & Market Risks

Velusamy’s tenure was not without setbacks.

Early XUV700 batches faced sensor and software-related issues amid global semiconductor shortages.
Supply chain disruptions delayed deliveries, placing intense pressure on engineering and production teams.
Mahindra launched over five SUV nameplates within a three-year window, a pace that increased burnout risk across leadership.

Internal responses focused on technical fixes, OTA updates, and phased production stabilization, rather than public confrontation.

8. Professional Compensation & Industry Standing (2026)

As President at a Nifty 50 automotive company, Velusamy’s estimated compensation falls within the ₹10–15 crore annual range (2025–2026), consistent with peer executives.

More significant than personal assets is his operational control over:

Multi-billion-dollar R&D budgets
Platform decisions affecting Mahindra’s global roadmap

He is regarded internally as a value-creation executive, not a media personality.

9. Current Status: The EV Era (2026)

As of 2026, Velusamy oversees Mahindra’s Electric Vehicle (EV) transition, global SUV portfolio, and advanced R&D operations—at a time when the company is repositioning itself for international markets and electrification, with details available on his LinkedIn profile.

The “Born Electric (BE)” platform
Upcoming XUV.e models aimed at global markets

His work spans:

MRV Chennai, where core engineering is conducted
Mahindra Advanced Design Europe (UK), supporting global styling and architecture

The focus is scalability, cost control, and regulatory alignment across markets.

10. Professional Legacy

Velusamy R.’s career challenges common assumptions in corporate leadership.

He did not emerge from an English-medium elite institution.
He spent 25+ years inside a single organization.
His influence is measured in platforms, crash ratings, and engineering standards, not personal visibility.

His professional legacy lies in proving that Indian-educated, non-elite engineers can lead global automotive programs—not as exceptions, but as systems builders.