MAM
M&M’s Scorpio wins rave reviews in 2002
MUMBAI: Mahindra & Mahindra’s indigenously engineered SUV Scorpio ended 2002 with three prestigious National awards – the Car of the Year Award from Business Standard Motoring; the Best SUV of the Yearby BBC on Wheels; and the Best Car of the Year award from BBC on Wheels.
For all three awards, entries were received from all the leading automobile manufacturers and the Scorpio came out a clear winner. Evaluation was done on various technical parameters and after the vehicles were put under various gruelling tests by independent automobile experts. All the three awards come as an enormous success for M&M, which have seen the Scorpio developed indigenously from concept to commercial production. M&M sold approximately 1400 Scorpios in December 2002.
Commenting on winning these awards, Mahindra and Mahindra executive director & president, automotive sector Alan Durante said: “Every member of the M&M family today stands proud, thanks to the phenomenal success of the Scorpio. The Scorpio although indigenously developed is truly a world-class vehicle, which aptly bridges the gap between style & adventure, luxury & ruggedness and performance & economy. These awards surely challenge us to set higher standards and strive for bettering our own performance, so that the customer proudly drives around in a world class car.”
Currently the Scorpio has a waiting period of over two months, says a release. One of the publications which gave an award gave rave reviews to Scorpio: “ The Scorpio has won by dint of being a product designed, developed and executed with the Indian consumer in mind, yet benchmarked against contemporary international models.”
Brands
IndiGo taps IATA director general Willie Walsh as CEO for next phase
IATA chief to take over in August as airline sharpens international play
MUMBAI: IndiGo has tapped Willie Walsh as its next chief executive officer, signalling a decisive push to expand its global footprint and steady operations after a turbulent start to the year.
Walsh, currently director general of the International Air Transport Association, will take over the top job subject to regulatory approvals. His tenure at IATA is set to conclude on July 31, 2026, with his joining at IndiGo expected by August 3, 2026.
The appointment follows the exit of Pieter Elbers, who stepped down on March 10, 2026, just months after the airline grappled with network-wide disruptions that put its operational resilience under scrutiny.
Welcoming the move, IndiGo chairman Vikram Singh said, “I am thrilled that Willie will be at helm of IndiGo. He is an exceptional global aviation leader with a stellar track record of outstanding leadership across several airlines. His experience in managing large scale airline operations and navigating complex market dynamics make him ideally suited to strengthen and lead IndiGo for continued growth in an ever evolving and competitive international aviation environment.”
For his part, Walsh struck an optimistic note on the road ahead, “The aviation landscape is evolving rapidly, and IndiGo is extremely well-positioned to be at the forefront of this change. I look forward to partnering with colleagues across the organisation to build a culture of excellence, innovation, collaboration and sustainable value for all stakeholders” he said.
The leadership change comes at a time when IndiGo is sharpening its long-haul ambitions and looking to cement its position beyond the domestic market. With Walsh at the controls, the airline appears set to double down on scale, stability and a stronger international presence in the years ahead.
