My Stay with M&M

Well it’s been months since I left M&M, and I decided to write this blog. But somehow couldn’t do it. Then the other day I had a talk with SS, and she suggested that I put down my thoughts on the laptop and can upload them to my blog when I get time.

So coming back to the topic, of my experience of some 20 months at M&M. For starters I worked for around 20 months at Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., a maker of Premium Sports Utility Vehicles and Utility Vehicles including Pick-up Trucks in the Engines Division in the Research & Development wing. I was the design engineer for a new 2.2 L Diesel Engine code named the “Eagle”. I was part of an amazing group of individuals who were some of the best in Engine Design & Development in India.

I started as a Graduate Engineering Trainee (GET) in M&M no where with an idea that I would go in to R&D, though I wanted desperately for that. So in the initial days it was a through orientation program spanning 40 days. Starting from presentations from the Company superiors, it lasted with some reviews of basic Automobile Engineering fundamentals to general industrial topics. On the last day of the orientation we were assigned departments, and I was assigned R&D, and it was ecstatic knowing that I was among some of the best in the bunch of 350 GETs.

So after a brief visit to all the plants of M&M – Kandivali (Mumbai), Igatpuri & Nashik, we were brought to the R&D Dept at Nashik. Here we were assigned our first project guides after few restless hours. I was assigned to Engines. So after going to the first guide, I was rerouted to the other guide who was in charge of the Eagle Engine family. Here we were sent to the actual project guides i.e. our direct superiors. Initially among the group of 4 of us, we were given few projects to choose from. After some haggling around with the superiors and among ourselves we made our choices. I decided to work on “Design of Experiments for Emission Robustness”. So after few days of endless loitering around, I had some solid work to do. So I pondered over a few books on DOE for the next couple of days and waited for the colleague with whom I was to work to return from his Sick Leave. Once he was back, I was bursting with energy and enthusiasm to start the work. But after few days of trying endlessly I realised that my work was heading no where, as no one other than me was interested in that work and it seemed redundant at that moment. So after some more haggling around with my superiors, my project and also my guide’s were changed, and I ended up in Engine Design.

So then I started my Engine Design Career. I worked on some small parts like Engine Lifting Hook, some sheet metal parts here and there and some concern resolution at the Engine Assembly Line. After few months of such work, I was assigned to a new Project. This was for making a version of the Eagle Engine for the US Market. Thus I ended up in a very challenging place being the only Design / Systems Engineer. This proved to be really quite a challenge, I learned a lot. From travelling at a hat’s notice to the Supplier to endless discussions with the Cross Functional Team, this job included it all. The experience of interacting with the Suppliers proved really stimulating, getting to talk to people with 10/20/30 years of experience in their field and learning the basics of many manufacturing processes, industries and also parts development. This also gave a major impetus to my Flying Passion cause of the travelling involved.

All this ended in my submitting my Resignation to pursue my MS in the US. I for one had been very open all along my journey in M&M and had kept all my superiors with the knowledge that I was going to leave for my MS. Thus my conscience was never tainted with any impressions that I was ditching any one in the company. The Experience in M&M totally changed my outlook for life. I learnt to live totally independent. Also the experience of living Life King Size in a large house, with totally amazing room partners, having a Car & also a Bike, good Work – Life balance and also the City of Nashik was something I wont forget for a long time am sure, this would surely form good resources to talk to my Grand Children in the future :-). Plus the Confidence I gained working in such an intellectually stimulating environment was a much needed boost I was looking for.

Thanks a lot Mahindra & Mahindra and also all the people I worked with and who gave me such good experiences of my Life.