MAM
Tarun Garg takes charge: Hyundai India gets its first homegrown boss
GURUGRAM: The corner office at Hyundai Motor India has finally gone desi. On 1 January Tarun Garg became the first Indian to steer the Korean carmaker’s Indian subsidiary as managing director and chief executive officer—a milestone 29 years in the making. It is less a changing of the guard than a vote of confidence in India’s automotive swagger.
Garg is no rookie. With 32 years navigating the treacherous bends of India’s car business, he is that rare beast: an engineer who can read balance sheets and a marketer who understands manufacturing floors. A mechanical engineer from Delhi Technological University and an MBA from IIM Lucknow—India’s premier management stable—he cut his teeth at Maruti Suzuki, eventually rising to executive director of marketing, logistics, parts and accessories. That is where he learned the dark arts of India’s hyper-competitive auto retail game.
But it was at Hyundai where Garg truly hit his stride. First as head of sales, service and marketing, then as whole-time director and chief operating officer, he orchestrated a remarkable run. Under his watch, Hyundai notched three consecutive years of record sales, minted its fattest-ever profit margins, and pulled off India’s biggest-ever initial public offering in 2024 — a whopping debut that made global headlines. He also steered Hyundai to dominance in India’s booming sport-utility vehicle segment, an achievement in a market where SUVs have become the new sedans.
His expertise spans the full automotive playbook: sales strategy, distribution networks, financial management, product planning, and brand communication. More tellingly, he appears to grasp that cars are no longer just metal and wheels but rolling software platforms. Not bad for a warm-up act.
Now the main event begins. Garg’s pitch? Transform Hyundai India into a “global hub” whilst doubling down on electric vehicles, hybrids, and connected mobility. The shopping list is hefty: Rs 45,000 crore (roughly $5.3 billion) earmarked for investment by 2030. That is serious money chasing serious ambitions—making India not just a market, but a manufacturing muscle for exports to emerging economies.
His strategy rests on four pillars that sound sensible until you consider the potholes ahead: future-ready tech (read: EVs in a country still sorting out charging infrastructure), people power (empowering dealers and suppliers), customer obsession (a given in cutthroat Indian auto retail), and “Make in India, Made for the World” muscle-flexing. Easier said than done when global supply chains hiccup and tariffs loom. Still, Garg talks a good game. “India’s automotive industry is at an exciting inflection point,” he says. Fair enough—he has earned the right to dream big.
Those who have worked with him describe a people-first boss who blends hard-nosed commercial instincts with genuine empathy—a combination rarer than hen’s teeth in India’s often cutthroat corporate culture. His “Samarth by Hyundai” initiative, aimed at improving accessibility for people with disabilities, suggests he is not all spreadsheets and sales targets. It is the sort of programme that wins awards and hearts, though the real test is whether it moves metal off forecourts.
What sets Garg apart is his ability to juggle the contradictions of modern Indian business: pushing digitisation whilst managing thousands of old-school dealers, championing EVs in a country addicted to petrol, and exporting globally whilst satisfying voracious domestic demand. He talks of “agility, conviction and purpose”—the trinity of management buzzwords—but his track record suggests substance beneath the jargon.
The timing is exquisite. India’s car market is booming, electrification is (slowly) gathering pace, and Korean headquarters clearly reckons local nous beats imported management. Whether Garg can navigate India’s chaotic roads, fickle buyers, and the looming EV transition remains to be seen. But for now, Hyundai India has put an Indian hand on the wheel. Buckle up.
MAM
Mangaldeep partners with Vrindavan Vibes at ISKCON Vrindavan event
Fragrance brand backs youth led kirtan gathering that drew 4000 plus devotees.
MUMBAI: If devotion had a soundtrack, Vrindavan recently turned the volume up. Mangaldeep Incense has partnered with Vrindavan Vibes at ISKCON Vrindavan, an emerging devotional gathering that blends traditional kirtans with a youthful, community driven atmosphere. The first day of the celebrations alone drew more than 4000 devotees, signalling the growing appeal of participatory spiritual events among younger audiences.
More than a festive collaboration, the association reflects a broader cultural shift in how spirituality is being experienced today. Vrindavan Vibes Jamming, described as a kirtan utsav, brings together youth, families and devotees for collective singing within a sacred temple setting, turning devotion into a shared, immersive experience.
For Mangaldeep, the partnership positions the brand as a long term enabler of community led devotion. Vrindavan, long regarded as the spiritual home of Lord Krishna, remains a vibrant centre for bhajans, temple gatherings and devotional music that attracts pilgrims and visitors from across the country.
As part of the collaboration, Mangaldeep has introduced a fragrance led experience within the venue. This includes ambient fragrance pillars designed to enhance the devotional ambience, a curated Khusbhoo Path experience, a selfie booth for visitors to capture shared memories, and specially designed souvenirs for devotees attending the event.
Mangaldeep divisional CEO of the matches and agarbatti division Rohit Dogra said the initiative reflects the changing ways in which faith is being expressed.
“At Mangaldeep, devotion has always been at the heart of everything we do. Today we are witnessing a beautiful shift in how spirituality is expressed, particularly among young India where bhajans and kirtans are becoming vibrant collective experiences of faith and belonging. Our partnership with ISKCON Vrindavan for Vrindavan Vibes reflects this evolution,” he said.
Bhajan and kirtan gatherings are increasingly emerging as spaces for emotional connection and cultural identity, especially for younger audiences looking for a sense of grounding in an otherwise fast paced world. Participants at the event described the gathering as a moment of calm and shared joy, as chants and music brought thousands together in a collective expression of faith.
By aligning with Vrindavan Vibes, Mangaldeep is positioning itself not just as an incense brand, but as a facilitator of shared spiritual experiences, extending its presence from homes and temples to large scale community led devotional platforms.
