Anand Mahindra’s Inspiring Speech at Telangana Rising Global Summit | Vision for India’s Growth

Honorable Chief Minister, honorable deputy chief minister, dignitaries on the dais, ladies and gentlemen, Ga Saboku, Namaskar. Now, I'm sure many of you here today have at some point in your lives experienced a moment when suddenly the horizon of possibilities opened up in front of you. And I believe that nations and states also experience such moments. And as I stand before you here today, I can say with absolute conviction that Telangana is at precisely such a pivotal juncture in its journey. We are all here in Hyderabad today when a bold manifesto for the future is about to be launched. Now, I had the privilege of reviewing this vision a short while ago, and frankly, I was astonished, and I don't use that word lightly. The great artist and inventor Michelangelo is believed to have said that the greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it but that it is too low and we reach it. Now, after seeing the blueprint of this vision document, it's clear to me that the danger of aiming low has been decisively buried. This has got to be one of the most ambitious and genuinely people-centric visions I have ever encountered, not just in India but globally. Equally impressive is not just the scale of ambition but the depth of its foundation. And I want to emphasize that this vision was co-created, and I repeat it was co-created, it was not written in isolation but it was shaped by an extensive consultation with the citizens of Telangana and with experts in chosen fields, by understanding their needs, their aspirations and their hopes. And frankly, this resonated very, very deeply with me because at our own Mahindra Group, I have often said that vision is not the monopoly of just a leader or of a few people. And history has shown us that dreams which become reality are dreams which are shared, which are co-created. Because when people participate in designing their own future, the odds of success rise dramatically. And going further, when policy is shaped along with purpose, the impact is multiplied. And so I was so pleased to see that this vision which has youth at its core, women as economic leaders and sustainability as a non-negotiable foundation. Well, that's a powerful embodiment of that purpose and that belief. So I want to compliment you, Chief Minister, and to your entire team for following this very inspiring process. And at Mahindra, frankly, we are very proud to observe this journey, not just to observe it but actually to be participants in it. One example alone, our women-led battery manufacturing facility in Zaheerabad is not just a factory. It is our very own statement of belief in the future that is being built right here. And on a personal note, I'm honored to serve as the chairman of the Young India Skills University as was mentioned earlier. Now I have to confess when the Chief Minister first asked me, I was very hesitant, as you will recall. And I'll be honest, at this stage in my life, I'm very, very protective of my personal time and I had planned really to focus all my energies on Mahindra University which is right here in Hyderabad and on other educational initiatives that I had already committed myself to. So I was preparing myself to very politely decline this invitation to the Chief Minister. And to be honest, after spending four decades in business, I consider myself a reasonably tough negotiator, but I met my match. The Chief Minister listened, he smiled, and then he presented a case which made it impossible for my conscience to walk away. You clearly are someone who doesn't take no for an answer. The Chief Minister, to be honest, saw that the Young India Skills University was not just about Telangana but about India's future. That clarity of purpose turned the request into an offer that frankly I could not refuse. And since accepting this role, my conviction in this role has only deepened. And let me explain why. We're living through a digital tsunami. Artificial intelligence dominates global conversations and it's often accompanied by fear. Fear of what AI and the future will bring. But I want to take a contrarian view. I believe that the more digital the world becomes, the more valuable the human touch will be. As AI inevitably absorbs the repetitive and the routine, value shifts to what machines cannot replace: the skill of the hand, the intuition of the craftsperson, the empathy of the caregiver, and the problem-solving grit of the technician. And just look around at many developed countries today and developed economies. Their challenge is not a lack of capital or technology. It is really the hollowing out of skilled real-world talent. They have a surplus of managers but they have a shortage of makers. Nations are built not only on the cloud but firmly on the ground. And happily, Telangana is choosing a different path through this Young India Skills University. We are asserting that blue collar is the new gold collar. We are preparing a workforce that is not threatened by AI but which is going to be indispensable despite AI. And to help shape such a generation, one that can serve India and a world hungry for skill, well, that's a privilege that I rank amongst my highest. So, thank you, Chief Minister, for making me part of that mission. And to the people of Telangana, I must tell you the Mahindra Group is not going to be a bystander. We will stand with you as you turn this distilled ambition of your people into prosperity. Thank you. And Dhanyavad Mulu.