'Surahi' vs fridge: After Twitterati loses calm, Anand Mahindra says household appliance is here to stay

Billionaire Anand Mahindra's love for Indian innovations is an open secret.

From 'jugaad' videos to creative products, the business tycoon has always been an advocate for desi innovations.

As the summer wind gets warmer in India, the Mahindra Group Chairman took to Twitter to share the benefits of the earthen water dispenser (called surahi in India).


Updating his more than 10.5 million followers on the micro-blogging platform, the 68-year-old said that the earthen water dispenser was affordable, durable and portable in comparison to its electrical counterpart - the refrigerator.

Sharing a number of pros for surahi worth Rs 200, Mahindra said that it is "low on maintenance" and "can be passed on to grandchildren." He also said that the earthenware was far superior in terms of design and aesthetics


On the contrary, the home appliance is priced at more than Rs 10,000 and only lasts seven to 15 years.

"Frankly, the Surahi is also superior from the point of view of design & aesthetics. In a world increasingly preoccupied with being planet-positive, the humble Surahi could become a premium lifestyle accessory," he wrote in his tweet.

With more than 951K views and over 16K likes, his post evoked a range of emotions on social media. While some loved Mahindra's practical tweet, others felt emotional as the refrigerator didn't get its due credit.

When a user presented a case saying both were not comparable, Mahindra tried to calm him by clarifying that his post was just a "light-hearted comparison." He replied, "Fear not, the mighty fridge is in no danger of extinction!"


Another curious user asked Mahindra if he had a surahi at home, to which, he replied, "Grew up with one in my home. Have to admit we don’t have one now, but am going to order one right away."


Mahindra also said that he found surahi so useful that he sent it to my children who are living in the US.

In the battle between surahi and fridge, which one would you pick? Let us know in the comments below.