Reva Maini, Anu Aga, Meher Pudumjee and Sandeep Maini with the Dr Sudarshan Kumar Maini Memorial
Written by Aditya Mendonça Life in Bangalore | Raintree Media Features | The Good City Dispatch
The second edition of The Good City Dispatch comes from a full house at The Ritz-Carlton Bangalore — where the 3rd Dr Sudarshan Maini Memorial Lecture quietly marked the 92nd birth anniversary of Dr S.K. Maini, a pioneer in precision manufacturing and clean mobility. This year’s speaker, Meher Pudumjee, Chairperson of Thermax Ltd, offered a grounded perspective on what it means to lead with values. She spoke of transition, resilience, and governance — and of the quiet strength required to steer a family business without being defined by it.
Time of Resilience – the ups and downs of running a company
A few takeaways that stayed with me:
- Leadership benefits from clarity — especially when ownership and management are kept distinct
- Stillness is as much a tool as strategy — Meher’s Vipassana practice helped navigate a turbulent phase
- CSR and philanthropy are not interchangeable; one belongs to the business, the other to the self
- Wellness isn’t a retreat — it’s infrastructure for modern leadership
- The importance of a company’s values, staying ethical and the process
- The journey from Raw material, Utilities, Waste and the desired product
With Meher Pudumjee of Thermax
After the session, I spent time with Sandeep Maini, Gautam Maini & Chetan Maini — each driving forward a different vision at Maini Group, Maini Precision Products, and SUN Mobility. At Virya Mobility, it was good to catch up with Vikrant Mainiand his team focused on clean transport as a present need, not a distant dream.
The main purpose of the Maini Sutra evening are the conversational, an attendee gains and reuniting with old friends. This is my third year back at the annual event and I’m always in awe, as I get to document these experiences at Raintree Media.
Sabarish (Saba) Gurusubramanian @the CTO of
Kush Maini Wins Monaco Formula 2 Sprint, Becomes First Indian Driver to Top Podium on the iconic Monte Carlo circuit in Monaco on May 24, 2025
The real interesting new vertical is their autonomous material handling and autonomous passenger transport solutions – made here in my city, Bangalore. This is a photo of their autonomous vehicle live in action at Bangalore International Airport Ltd the only electric Made in India buggies, chatting with Sabarish (Saba) Gurusubramanian the CTO of Virya Autonomous Technologies and what they are building was fascinating and insightful. His journey working with Rivian in America- deployment of active safety and driver assistance features across Rivian’s R1 & EDV platforms was even more insightful as a lay person but to see vehicles made in Bangalore by the Maini family getting this tech.
Autonomous buggy at Bangalore International Airport
It’s been a milestone year for the Mainis beyond engineering — Kush Maini made the podium at Monaco in Formula 2, while his brother Arjun Maini continues to race at the highest levels of GT and endurance globally with the HRT Ford Performance Team. Gitanjali Maini, who continues to evolve the cultural legacy of the family — from Gallery G to the Ravi Varma Heritage Foundation — reminding us that heritage and innovation don’t need to sit on opposite ends of the table.
Now – if you’d like to know the story shaped by vision, grit and a believe in building even when the odds say otherwise, one that’s told in India’s Green Gift to the World – REVA EV, co-authored by Dr S.K. Maini and Sandhya Mendonca. It traces the journey from idea to India’s first electric car — and a place in the global EV narrative. Check it out. 🔗 REVA EV – The Story of India’s First Electric Car
https://www.amazon.in/Reva-EV-Indias-Green-World/dp/8184003722
The late Dr Sudarshan Kumar Maini and Sandhya Mendonca
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Maini Materials Movement (MMM) Maini Materials Movement (MMM) Armes Maini Maini Plastics and Composites Pvt. Ltd. Virya Autonomous Technologies
