The sleek, immersive design of The Museum of Living History -- made Rediff's Mayur Sanap feel he was walking into a Tron movie.
Except, instead of neon blue tones, the dominant colour everywhere was Mahindra's signature red which made the space feel bold and dramatic.
Mahindra & Mahindra's 'history in pictures'
Walking into the Mahindra & Mahindra headquarters in Mumbai's Worli is like stepping into a timeline of the company's eventful journey.
As you enter the main lobby, the warmly lit passage walls welcome you with old photographs, each one capturing a different moment from its 86-year-old history.
One photograph shows India's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru visiting the Mahindra & Mahindra factory in 1962.
Another captures Raj Kumar Pitamber, Mahindra & Mahindra's then managing director (he captained India's national golf team from 1958 to 1975) handing over the reins of the group to Anand Mahindra in 1997.
There is a candid picture of Anand Mahindra chatting with Aamir Khan during the launch of Mahindra's two-wheeler business.
From the past into the future
As a Worli resident for some time, Mahindra Towers always caught my attention because of its striking red brick design. While I had passed it often, this was the first time I would step inside.
The building, clearly, had stories to tell.
Just as I was diving into the long wall of memories, something unexpected appeared -- a makeshift volleyball court.
Men and women dressed in formal attire -- company employees, I believe -- were playing a quick game. How cool!
And then I entered the Mahindra museum -- The Museum of Living History.
Do watch: A virtual tour of The Museum of Living History
The sleek, immersive design made me feel I was walking into a Tron movie. Except, instead of neon blue tones, the dominant colour everywhere was Mahindra's signature red which made the space feel bold and dramatic.
The museum, which is tucked at a ground level corner of the building, is full of digital and physical art installations that offer a peek into the company's history, culture and future ambitions.
We were welcomed by a lady in a sleek corporate blazer who led us through the curated space. She told us that the museum had been conceptualised by Design and Creative Consultant Elsie Nanji and Experience Designer Harsh Manrao.
The various commissioned art pieces, she explained, represented Mahindra's core values and principles.
Here are six experiences at The Museum of Living History that stayed with me:
Mr Redkar's sacrifice inspired the company to launch the Mahindra Veerta Award in 2009 to honour employees who display exceptional acts of courage. Photograph: Afsar Dayatar/Rediff
Don't touch it, the edges are quite sharp, we were warned. Photograph: Afsar Dayatar/Rediff
The Mahindra brothers -- Kailash Chandra and Jagdish Chandra -- had established the company in 1945 with Malik Ghulam Muhammad; two years later, after Partition, Muhammad relocated to Pakistan.
The company's history is captured through unseen pictures, personal anecdotes and interesting stories. Photograph: Afsar Dayatar/Rediff
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