Mahindra Group Chairman endorses the state’s co-created development vision and says “blue collar is the new gold collar” as India enters an AI-heavy future.
09 Dec 2025 | 2993 Views | By Darshan Nakhwa
Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra on Tuesday praised Telangana’s new long-term development vision as one of the most ambitious and people-centric he has seen globally, calling the state’s current moment a “pivotal juncture” in its growth trajectory. Speaking at the Telangana Rising Global Summit 2025, Mahindra said the blueprint reflects ...
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Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra on Tuesday praised Telangana’s new long-term development vision as one of the most ambitious and people-centric he has seen globally, calling the state’s current moment a “pivotal juncture” in its growth trajectory. Speaking at the Telangana Rising Global Summit 2025, Mahindra said the blueprint reflects a rare blend of scale, depth and public participation, a model he believes sharply increases the probability of success.
“I can say with absolute conviction that Telangana is at precisely such a pivotal juncture in its journey,” he said, noting that the vision document stands out for being shaped through extensive citizen and expert consultations. “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.”
Mahindra underscored that the process of co-creation, rather than top-down planning, is what impressed him most. “Vision is not the monopoly of just a leader or of a few people,” he said. “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.”
He commended the framework for placing youth at its centre, positioning women as economic leaders, and treating sustainability as a “non-negotiable foundation”. According to him, aligning policy with purpose “multiplies impact” and sets the tone for inclusive development.
The Mahindra Group, he said, already sees itself as an active participant in this journey, citing the company’s women-led battery manufacturing facility in Zahirabad. “It is our very own statement of belief in the future that is being built right here,” he added.
Mahindra also spoke about his role as Chairman of the Young India Skills University, recalling how Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy persuaded him to accept the position. “I had to confess, when the Chief Minister first asked me, I was very hesitant… but I met my match,” he said, recounting how the CM framed the university as an institution not just for Telangana, but for India’s future. “That clarity of purpose turned the request into an offer that frankly I could not refuse.”
Shifting to the global AI transition, Mahindra argued that fears around automation are misplaced. Instead, he believes the technology will elevate the importance of human skill. “The more digital the world becomes, the more valuable the human touch will be,” he said. “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.”
He warned that many developed economies are now suffering from a “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,” he said, contrasting that with Telangana’s decision to prioritise skill-building.
Through the Young India Skills University, Mahindra said the state is sending a decisive message. “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.”
The Telangana Rising Global Summit closed with more than 35 major investment proposals worth ₹1.88 lakh crore on Monday. The commitments spanned deep tech, renewable energy, aerospace, defence, infrastructure and advanced manufacturing, sectors central to Telangana’s Vision 2047.