Anand Mahindra finds Monday motivation in grandfather’s forgotten crude oil engine patent, which he was not aware of

In a heartfelt revelation on World Intellectual Property Day, Anand Mahindra, Chairman of the Mahindra Group, shared a surprising family discovery. While sifting through old company archives and boxes of memorabilia, Vaidehi Mayekar, a senior manager at the group, stumbled upon documents detailing a patent filed by Anand Mahindra's grandfather, J.C. Mahindra, back in 1918.

The patent, numbered 3597, was for a two-cycle opposed-piston engine designed to run on crude oil – an early foray into internal combustion engine technology. Anand Mahindra admitted he had no idea about this piece of family history. Growing up, he had vaguely heard his father and uncle describe J.C. Mahindra as a "tinkerer" who once held a patent, but the details were never clear or celebrated as part of the group's story.

"It may not have been a seminal or earth-shaking patent," he wrote on X (formerly Twitter), "but somehow, that part of his story had slipped through the cracks of family narratives." JC Mahindra, trained as an engineer at Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (then known as Victoria Jubilee Technical Institute) in Mumbai, spent much of his career in the steel industry, including time at Tata Steel. During World War II, he served as India's first Iron & Steel Controller, forging global connections that later helped him and his brother K.C. Mahindra establish a trading business.


That venture eventually led to manufacturing, famously introducing Willys Jeeps and International Harvester tractors to India, laying the foundation for what became Mahindra & Mahindra in 1945 (initially as Mahindra & Mohammed). The timing of the find – just ahead of World IP Day – added a special touch. Anand Mahindra expressed gratitude to Vaidehi for unearthing the document and noted how it has given him a "renewed sense of pride" and fresh motivation drawn from his grandfather.

He hopes it will inspire engineers across the Mahindra Group to carry forward a legacy of innovation in automobiles and other fields. The post quickly resonated with readers. Many praised the story as a reminder of India's early engineering talent at a time when the country relied heavily on imports.

One user remarked, "Finding J.C. Mahindra’s original 1918 patent... shows the depth of talent we’ve always had. This story deserves to be in every Indian engineering classroom." Another highlighted how most families overlook such "gems" hidden in old boxes, calling it a sign of real foresight.

Others pointed to the importance of preserving institutional memory. "Innovation often runs deeper than we realize," wrote one responder. A light-hearted comment noted, "If someone could innovate an engine in 1918, today's engineers with WiFi and ChatGPT have no excuses!"

A few shared personal connections, including one whose father had briefly worked under J.C. Mahindra, describing him as a true visionary.The discovery has struck a chord beyond the Mahindra family and company. It underscores how individual curiosity and tinkering, even in colonial-era India, planted seeds for future industrial growth.

While the patent itself may not have transformed the world, its resurfacing highlights the value of archiving the past to fuel inspiration today. As India pushes for self-reliance in technology and manufacturing, stories like this serve as quiet motivators – proving that the spirit of innovation has long been part of the nation's DNA, often waiting patiently in dusty files to be rediscovered.