Punjab in the DNA of Swaraj tractors, says CEO Harish Chavan as it celebrates 50 years in Mohali

It was aptly called Swaraj, signifying freedom from imports. Over time, the company exchanged hands, going from the Punjab Tractors to Mahindra and Mahindra, but Punjab and Mohali have remained a constant in the story of India’s second largest tractor-maker.

From the green shoots of prosperity in the fields of Punjab to the dark days of militancy and economic slowdown at the turn of the 21st century, the company has seen it all. Speaking to The Indian Express in the runup to their golden jubilee, CEO Harish Chavan fondly recalls the milestones in its journey.

“After we manufactured the first tractor in 1974, and then the first indigenous harvester in 1980, we realised that a strong engine is the heart of any machine, So in 1986, we started manufacturing engines at our Mohali facility.” Then came 2007 when PTL fell on hard times and sold off its majority stake to Mahindra and Mahindra before finally merging with it two years later.

Keenly aware of the company’s Punjab connect. Mahindra chose to embrace it instead of trying to change it, Swaraj had homed in on Mohali, then a dusty little town neighbouring Chandigarh, much before it became the darling of the masses. So when plans to set up a new facility to manufacture 30,000 tractors a year came up in 2022, Mahindra looked no further than Mohali.

“Many thought it would make more sense to set up a plant outside the state considering that our tractors are delivered all over the country, but we have an emotional bond with Punjab that we want to retain.” Subsequently, the company acquired 40 acres at Humayunpur in Mohali and set up a new plant with an investment of over INR 400 crore.

We are blessed to be in Punjab, says Chavan, a Mumbaikar who was pleasantly surprised when he came to Mohali a few years ago. “Having worked and lived in metros all over the world, Mohali was a very pleasant change. It is so cool, it’s almost like a vacation spot, a hill station.’’

The Swaraj tractors, he says, are “unique” because they are made by farmers for farmers. Calling it the company’s USP, Chavan says, “People who work in our factories are all connected to farming. They are not seeing a tractor for the first time.”

The company, which takes great pride in its customer loyalty—Chavan says Swaraj tractors run in families–routinely brings farmers to its factories to take their suggestions. “It’s a mandate for every employee at senior management level to spend at least two days a year interacting with peasants working in the fields.’’

Mahindra & Mahindra brought its cutting-edge technology to improve the processes here. “Today the foundry we have in Mohali is probably the best in the world. In 2012, the Mohali unit bagged the 2012 Deming prize for quality management. Given by the Japanese, it’s considered a global medal of recognition.’’

The company is acutely aware of the need for change in the fields. “Climate change is our biggest challenge. We must adapt our agriculture to cope with the changing weather patterns.”

With diversification becoming the buzz word in the farms, the company has already diversified its menu of implements. “Last year, we introduced Swaraj Target, a new range of tractors for horticulturists. It’s small, light-weight with a tight turning radius. We have also come up with Code, a small machine used for inter-cropping and de-weeding vegetables without damaging the roots of vegetables,” says Chavan.

It’s an ongoing journey, says Chavan, who also frets about soil health. “While we are doing our bit, we also need policies to promote sustainable agriculture,” he says.

The company, meanwhile, is working on making its plants environmentally sustainable and socially inclusive, Which is why the Mohali plant has arguably the largest workforce of women and specially abled on the shop floor in a tractor unit. As Chavan says, it’s all about building trust and relationships.