Mahindra Sharpens Digital Farm Push; Appoints Pankaj Kumar to Lead Telematics

Mahindra & Mahindra has stepped up its digital and telematics focus in the Farm Equipment Business (FEB), appointing Pankaj Kumar as Head of Telematics as it looks to build a stronger play around data-led agricultural solutions.

The move is part of the company’s expanding role of technology in its farming business and places telematics firmly within its digital transformation agenda. Kumar will report to Rucha Nanavati, Chief Digital Transformation Officer – Auto and Chief of Advanced Technologies – FEB, underscoring the growing weight of connected technologies within Mahindra’s farm business. Ashay Shah, GM – Business Development, Telematics, will report to Kumar.

In his new role, Kumar will lead Krish-e Smart Kit (KSK) B2B sales, work on accelerating the adoption of telematics solutions and help develop revenue-generating services built on connected platforms.

This comes at a time when precision agriculture, connected machinery and data-led farm services are steadily gaining traction, with manufacturers globally moving beyond hardware-led models to more integrated, service-driven offerings.

For Mahindra, the shift is already visible. The company has been building out Krish-e as an integrated farm services platform, bringing together advisory, mechanisation, inputs and market linkages. Solutions like the Krish-e Smart Kit sit within this ecosystem, aimed at turning tractors and equipment into connected assets that can deliver real-time insights, enable predictive maintenance and improve farm-level decision-making.

The underlying intent is to move from a product-centric approach to a platform-led model, where digital layers drive both customer engagement and new revenue streams.

Kumar brings over 16 years of experience across global corporations and agri-tech startups. Most recently, he was Executive Vice President – Business & Strategy at Plantix (Helm AG), and has previously worked with ReshaMandi, Nurture.farm, AgroStar and Dow Agrosciences, along with entrepreneurial experience as co-founder of MITRA Agro Equipments.

The appointment underlines Mahindra’s attempt to stay ahead of the curve as digital and precision technologies begin to reshape the contours of the farm equipment market.