Lucknow makes Anand Mahindra emotional — and pleasantly surprised too

Some cities charm you with food, some with culture, and a few that leave you with memories that tug at the heart. For Anand Mahindra, Lucknow manages to do all three. The Mahindra Group Chairman recently visited the city for an RBI Board meeting and walked away not only impressed by its progress but also touched by personal memories. His posts on X reflected both admiration and emotion in equal measure.

Mahindra began by appreciating the city’s impressive leap in the Swachh Survekshan rankings, where it jumped 41 positions to claim the third spot. He credited IAS officer Inderjit Singh for playing a pivotal role in driving this transformation. Mahindra recalled how he had earlier highlighted Singh’s commendable work, which included tackling garbage management and changing the city’s image. Seeing the cleaner streets firsthand, he said Lucknow indeed looked deserving of the upgrade, though he admitted there is still more to be done in several areas.



He also shared how the city has always held a special place in his heart. Lucknow, famous for its culture and cuisine, is where his late mother once lived and taught history at IT College. During his short trip, Mahindra couldn’t resist visiting the institution to pay respects to her memory, adding an emotional layer to his reflections.



“Behind this transformation is IAS Indrajeet Singh,” he wrote, praising Singh as an “agent of transformational change.” For Mahindra, Lucknow’s rise in cleanliness rankings is not just about better infrastructure but also proof that with clarity of purpose and determination, even deep-seated challenges can be overcome.