Anand Mahindra: Rajiv Bajaj opens BEST centre at MU
Synopsis
Rajiv Bajaj inaugurated the Bajaj Engineering Skills Training Centre — acronym BEST — and delivered the convocation address to 1,300 graduates at Mahindra University, Hyderabad, on August 2, 2026, at the institution's 5th annual ceremony.
Key Takeaways
1,300 students graduated at Mahindra University's 5th annual convocation on August 2, 2026 , in Hyderabad .
Rajiv Bajaj , Managing Director of Bajaj Auto, served as Chief Guest and convocation speaker.
Bajaj inaugurated the Bajaj Engineering Skills Training Centre (BEST) at the university's School of Engineering before the ceremony.
Mahindra described Bajaj as 'the maestro of brand leadership,' noting the BEST acronym was fitting given Bajaj's brand philosophy.
Bajaj's address drew on four personal stories from his career and life philosophy.
The visit reflects a broader Indian conglomerate trend of deepening industry-academia collaboration in technical education.
Thirteen hundred graduates walked across the stage at Mahindra University, Hyderabad, on Sunday, August 2, 2026 — and the man who handed them their moment was one of India's sharpest brand minds. Mahindra Group chairman Anand Mahindra marked the university's 5th annual convocation by welcoming Bajaj Auto Managing Director Rajiv Bajaj as Chief Guest and convocation speaker — a pairing that underscored how seriously Indian industry is now investing in the classroom.
BEST: a name that was no accident
Before the ceremony, Rajiv Bajaj inaugurated the Bajaj Engineering Skills Training Centre at Mahindra University's School of Engineering — a facility built to bridge the gap between academic theory and shop-floor practice. The acronym, BEST, was not lost on anyone. Mahindra noted in his convocation address that Bajaj is 'the maestro of brand leadership,' making the name a quiet tribute to the guest of honour's signature obsession: making every detail count.
Four stories, 1,300 futures
Bajaj anchored his address around four personal stories that shaped his career and life philosophy — a format that traded PowerPoint abstraction for lived experience. Mahindra expressed deep gratitude for Bajaj 'giving up his Sunday' and for the vote of confidence the visit represented for a university still in its early years. The warmth was mutual: Mahindra closed by saying the university hopes to welcome Bajaj back as a frequent campus visitor.
Industry in the lecture hall — a growing pattern
The Bajaj centre's inauguration fits a broader shift in Indian corporate strategy. Over the past decade, major conglomerates have moved beyond writing cheques to educational institutions — they are now building them, staffing them, and naming skills labs after themselves. The logic is unsentimental: India's engineering pipeline needs industry-relevant training, and companies that shape that pipeline gain a first-mover advantage on talent. Two rival industrial houses sharing a campus stage is a signal that this model has matured past rivalry into something more collaborative.
For Mahindra University, landing Rajiv Bajaj — a figure synonymous with disciplined brand thinking and contrarian product strategy — as its fifth convocation speaker sends a message well beyond Hyderabad. The graduates leaving campus today carry with them not just a degree, but a case study in what focused, philosophy-driven leadership can build.
Point of View
Signalling that Mahindra University is positioning itself as a serious industry-linked institution rather than a vanity project. For Bajaj Auto, attaching its name to a skills centre at a rival conglomerate's university is a quietly bold move — it prioritises sector-wide talent development over competitive hoarding. Investors watching both groups should note: education infrastructure is becoming a long-horizon workforce bet, not a CSR line item.
NationPress
2 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Bajaj Engineering Skills Training Centre at Mahindra University?
The Bajaj Engineering Skills Training Centre, abbreviated BEST, is a newly inaugurated facility at Mahindra University's School of Engineering in Hyderabad, focused on practical, industry-relevant engineering skills training for students.
Who was the chief guest at Mahindra University's 5th convocation?
Rajiv Bajaj, Managing Director of Bajaj Auto, was the Chief Guest and convocation speaker at Mahindra University's 5th annual convocation held on August 2, 2026.
How many students graduated at Mahindra University's 2026 convocation?
Approximately 1,300 students graduated at the 5th annual convocation of Mahindra University, Hyderabad, on August 2, 2026.
What did Rajiv Bajaj speak about at the Mahindra University convocation?
Rajiv Bajaj anchored his convocation address around four personal stories that shaped his career and life philosophy, according to Anand Mahindra's post on X.
Why did Anand Mahindra call Rajiv Bajaj a maestro of brand leadership?
Anand Mahindra used the phrase in his convocation speech to highlight Bajaj's reputation for disciplined, philosophy-driven brand strategy — and noted it made the BEST acronym for the new skills centre especially fitting.
