In the Indian automotive industry, few engineering careers parallel the quiet, transformative arc of Rajendra Petkar. When Petkar joined Tata Motors, then known as the Tata Engineering and Locomotive Company (TELCO), as a Post Graduate Trainee Engineer fresh out of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, India’s auto industry was defined by licensed technology, rigid import tariffs, and mechanical simplicity.
When Petkar concludes his nearly 38-year tenure as President and Chief of Emerging Mobility & Technology Strategy, at the end of October 2026, he leaves behind a fundamentally restructured organization. Today, Tata Motors stands as an intellectual property powerhouse, a pioneer in mass-market electric vehicles (EVs), and a benchmark for vehicular crash safety in developing markets.
Petkar’s trajectory is not just a corporate rising-through-the-ranks story; it provides an analytical lens through which to examine how Indian engineering evolved from passive technology adaptation to indigenous platform creation and clean mobility leadership.
The Start of the Journey
Petkar’s career began on the shopfloors and testing bays of TELCO in February 1989. Armed with an M.Tech from IIT Bombay, his initial focus centered on mechanical engineering fundamentals, specifically power systems, internal combustion engines, and transmissions. At the time, Indian commercial vehicles relied heavily on mechanical fuel injection systems and legacy powertrain setups designed for durability rather than refined emissions control.
Over the next two decades, Petkar systematically broadened his engineering footprint at Tata Motors’ flagship Engineering Research Centre (ERC) in Pune. By October 2013, he was named Head of the Power Systems Engineering (PSE) division. In this critical function, Petkar directed the design, calibration, and development of a vast portfolio of diesel and gasoline engines, and CNG and automated manual transmissions (AMTs), and advanced powertrain concepts such as electric mobility across both commercial and passenger vehicle segments.
Industry peers note that Petkar’s tenure at PSE coincided with India’s tightening regulatory environment. He oversaw the progression from BS-III to BS-IV emission standards, balancing thermal efficiency and reliability against the stringent cost constraints inherent to the Indian automotive market. His work during this era established the technological base for Tata's internal combustion platforms, electric vehicles, including the development of modular engine families that would later power the company's turnaround strategy. It is here that he led a team of around 700 engineers.
The Crucible of BS-VI and the CTO Elevation
In November 2017, following leadership changes at Tata Motors, Petkar was appointed officiating CTO, a position formalized on April 1, 2018, when he officially took charge as President & CTO. This is where, the scope of his impact increased significantly as he led one of India's largest automotive R&D organizations with over 5,000 engineers spread across India, the UK and Italy.
Some of the highlights from his tenure at CTO include transforming CV and PV product portfolio range through modular architectures, BS VI migration in three years, in addition to bringing in enhanced safety, connectivity and other features into the vehicles. Secondly, it was also the same time when Tata Motors under Petkar delivered India's first GNCAP 5-Star rated SUV (Tata Nexon) and hatchback (Tata Altroz).
Additionally, he led development and launch of Tata Motors' electric vehicle portfolio including Nexon EV, Trucks and buses with battery electric technology. Also, he was the chief architect of company hydrogen mobility technologies through fuel cell and hydrogen ICE technologies.
He was later elevated as President and chief of Emerging Mobility and Technology Strategy in October 2025.
Institutional Governance and Industry Ecosystem
Petkar’s impact extended beyond Tata Motors' boardroom into national policy and institutional governance. He held honorary advisory positions with the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), and the National Automotive Board.
In these inter-industry forums, Petkar acted as a bridge between government policymakers and engineering reality, advocating for technology-neutral decarbonization pathways, realistic regulatory implementation timelines, and standardized testing protocols for tropicalized battery chemistries.
Inside Tata Motors, Petkar instituted a disciplined Intellectual Property (IP) framework. Under his stewardship, ERC transformed into a patent factory, recording unprecedented annual patent filings covering energy storage, aerodynamic flaps, lightweight structures, and software control algorithms.
The Way Forward
As Petkar prepares to hang his boots, his legacy is visible across India’s highways; in the structural safety ratings of everyday cars, the whisper-quiet acceleration of electric buses, and the cleaner exhaust of heavy transport trucks. For a generation of younger engineers whom he mentored, Petkar leaves behind a firm conviction: that Indian automotive engineering can establish global standards through rigorous, frugal innovation.