The following is an edited excerpt from the conversation.
Introduction
Naved: Thank you so much for joining us for the 18th episode of Career Circles Live. My name is Naved Falak, and I’ll be your host for today’s session.
As you all know, Career Circles are exclusive talent communities by Taggd, where talented professionals like each one of you can connect with industry mentors, career experts, peers, and recruiters. Career Circles Live is an edition of these conversations which are open, where we bring the best minds and mentors from the industry to share the latest hiring trends and how they are shaping the world of work for professionals like you.
The theme of today’s session is Back to the Roots: New-Age Jobs in Agri-Tech and the Farm Industry as a whole. And we are joined by a known HR leader from one of India’s leading farm and manufacturing companies, Mr. Sanket Patil.
Hi Sanket, how are you doing?
Sanket: Naved, thank you so much for having me on the show today. Very happy to be here.
I’ll keep my introduction short. I would hate to blow my own trumpet. I have around 23–24 years of experience in the Human Resource Management field. I’m an engineer by graduation, and like a lot of people who decide to pursue management without straight going into a job, I followed the same line.
I chose human resource management at a time when HR probably was not having that much significance or importance. I started my career from industrial relations function, the ER function, one of the toughest functions within HR, in Tata Motors.
From there, I’ve spent time in different industries: Lupin in pharma, General Electric in the technology center, and I worked for a long time in an auto component supplier, electronics and lighting component supplier company by name Hella, which is part of the FORVIA group now.
I would like to highlight the diversity of roles and cultures. In my last role I was working out of the US, and my HR team had nationals from Korea, South Africa, Mexico. Previously I worked in Germany and had good exposure to a completely different way of working.
It’s been an enriching journey, and I still call it a journey. I currently work with Mahindra Farm Equipment Sector, and it is a different experience. After being in automotive, it’s the first time I got a chance to be involved with an industry focused towards the farming sector. I feel very satisfied in the role I’m currently playing. Looking forward to the discussion today.
Mahindra’s High-Tech Tractor Platform
Naved: What is OJA all about?
Sanket Patil: OJA is the recently launched new platform of tractors that Mahindra Tractors has launched. 15th of August is when we launched it globally. OJA is a high-tech, new-age tractor. It’s a game-changer. If we could make that parallel, it is the XUV700 of tractors.
It’s packed with tech features and three different technology packages. One is the productivity pack. OJA has best-in-class NVH, which is noise, vibration and harshness. Smooth operation is not something we generally talk about in tractors, but this is very smooth to work, yet one of the most powerful. It has telescopic steering, adjustable steering, projector lamps, and higher luminosity. Comfort and convenience wise, it’s a beautiful machine.
Second is the telematics pack. It’s not only a tractor, but also an intelligent tractor. It has GPS built in, the owner can control it over a mobile application, there is GPS tracking, service alerts, fuel level and fuel efficiency.
In farming, a huge amount of work is done in a short span during the monsoon when activities are at peak. Imagine a tractor breaking down during that. That’s not a month of earnings lost that’s a year of earning lost. So pre-emptive maintenance alerts matter.
Third is the Robo pack. There are autonomous features. Heavy machinery connects to a tractor, and connecting implements becomes easier through electronically controlled ways. Even turning radius and braking can be optimized through systems that reduce effort and improve productivity.
Overall, it’s a very advanced product. It illustrates the technology usage in a product which is traditionally seen as highly mechanical product.
Job Landscape in India’s Farm Industry
Naved: While Mahindra is coming up with new technology and things are changing in the farm industry as well, what are your thoughts on the current job landscape in India’s farm industry?
Sanket Patil: There are traditional roles that continue to exist, and there are new-age roles that are emerging. The new roles are not completely taking over the traditional roles.
Traditional roles include mechanical aspects, production, engine, chassis, transmission, hydraulics. Mechanical and automotive engineers continue to be relevant. Traditional selling roles also continue, because in farming there is still a huge amount of personal connect required. A lot of our sales teams are grounded people who are deeply connected with farmers.
What is changing is the new way the tractor and farming industry is shaping. There is extensive digital marketing now. Contrary to belief, farmers are among the most educated and they use Facebook and WhatsApp extensively, and a lot of selling and engagement happens there.
We are creating an app, that will provide advisory services, and farmers will be able to book the tractors. Many small farmers cannot afford a tractor outright, but they can rent it. We aim to build an Uber- or Ola-like platform for tractors, connecting farmers who need equipment with those who rent it out.
The technology is advancing in terms of productivity and precision. Some examples are precision farming, satellite-based imaging, and crop monitoring. For instance, sugarcane: sugar content peaks at a point, and harvesting at that time gives higher yield. Using satellite images and proprietary software, we can predict with high accuracy when sugar content is highest, and that can improve output significantly.
So, to summarise, traditional roles remain, and new-age roles, especially on the technology side, are growing.
Skills, Upskilling, and Career Navigation
Naved: Do you think existing traditional job seekers need to evolve in terms of skills or learning, or they should feel safeguarded wherever they are? And what are the current challenges faced by professionals in navigating career paths within this industry?
Sanket: Both questions are interrelated.
Traditionally, people thought hiring in farming would happen only for those with a farming background or deep farming knowledge. That is no longer the case. Someone writing an algorithm to predict crop conditions doesn’t necessarily need to come from farming. It’s always an added advantage, but it’s not a must.
Which means the opportunity is wider: people not connected to farming can still build careers here. And it works the other way too. If you work in farming, it doesn’t mean you cannot move into other sectors.
Even within Mahindra, because the group has different businesses, there is movement. The core remains the same for many functions. Selling remains selling, whether it’s tractors, SUVs, or loans. The time now is where jobs will be more industry-agnostic, with more movement across sectors.
Mahindra Farm Equipment Sector: Core Businesses
Naved: Can you provide an overview of Mahindra’s Farm Equipment Sector core businesses? What is Mahindra into when we talk about the farm sector as a whole?
Sanket: Let me talk about the businesses and the functions/roles within them.
The biggest business is tractors. Mahindra has been market leader for the last five decades. We are the world’s largest manufacturer of tractors. The Indian tractor industry is the biggest in terms of numbers globally, and we are the biggest in India, with around 42% market share. Roughly every second tractor you see is a Mahindra tractor.
We are present through three brands: Mahindra Tractors, Swaraj Tractors, and Gromax Tractors. For tractors, we do end-to-end: product development (engines, transmission, hydraulics, electrical/electronic), manufacturing (multiple plants), and sales through dealers, plus after-sales and service. We have a very large service network.
Second is farm machinery/implements. Tractor is the power source but implements are what do the farming operations. Broadly farming operations happen in five stages: soil preparation, sowing, crop care, harvesting, and post-harvesting.
In India, mechanization is still limited in many stages. There are machines available to mechanize each stage of farming. Some implements are traded (we ensure quality and sell under Mahindra/Swaraj brand), some are designed and manufactured by us, and some are contract manufactured.
Third is farming services. We work with farmers through advisory services and demonstration. We create technique plots, where farmers give one acre, and we demonstrate improved yield with mechanization and advanced techniques.
There are other businesses too in agri like irrigation, seeds, and crop care, but I won’t go deep into that here. The purpose statement for Mahindra Farm Equipment Sector is: Transforming farming and enriching lives. We want to democratize technology and enrich lives of the farmers by transforming farming.
Agri-Tech Solutions: Sustainability and Efficiency
Naved: Can you share examples of innovative Agri-Tech solutions making farming more sustainable and efficient?
Sanket: OJA has built-in GPS and telematics, but most tractors already on ground are traditional. So, we introduced a hardware called Krishi Smart Kit. It can be fitted under the dashboard and converts a normal tractor into a smart tractor. Like how a Chromecast makes a normal TV smarter. It provides GPS, tracking, geo-fencing, health monitoring, and alerts.
Another example is irrigation. India uses a very high share of its water for agriculture. Traditional surface irrigation has low efficiency. Sprinklers improve it, and drip irrigation improves it further. We are working on smart irrigation solutions, “water, crop per drop.”
We also use soil mapping techniques. A sensor attached during soil preparation can create a topography of the land, showing fertilizer and water content, so you can decide how much fertilizer or water is needed.
Drones are being used to spray pesticides only in infested areas instead of the entire crop. India is still transitioning from labour-intensive farming to mechanized and smart farming, but we are driving this. Our success, lies in the success of others.
Career Paths in Mahindra Farm Equipment Sector
Naved: What kind of career paths are available within Mahindra Farm Equipment Sector?
Sanket: There are opportunities across domains:
- Product Development: engine design, transmission, hydraulics, electrical/electronics, telematics.
- Manufacturing: mechanical engineers, diploma engineers, automation, robotics (especially in paint areas), specialists like paint technologists, industrial engineering.
- Sales and Market Development: territory roles, channel/dealer ecosystem, business development.
- Marketing: including digital marketing.
- Service: service engineers with strong problem-solving aptitude.
- Business/Entrepreneurial roles: especially in farm machinery where you manage sourcing, contract manufacturing, supplier ecosystem, and business ownership-like responsibilities.
- Supply chain, sourcing, component development: strong requirements here too.
Inclusion and Equal Opportunity
Naved: What is Mahindra’s approach on inclusivity and equal opportunity? Not only gender, but overall inclusion.
Sanket: We started by defining inclusion. Diversity is a byproduct of inclusion.
For us, inclusion means valuing diversity, making people feel welcome, demonstrating respect explicitly, creating a supportive environment, and being fair to all.
We are moving towards gender-neutral job descriptions and making sure roles are open to qualified talent, with merit as the criteria.
We also worked on infrastructure: washrooms, safety, ramps, lift access, and support for people with disabilities. We do this through employee resource groups.
On policies, especially for women, Mahindra has rolled out strong support measures: crèche support, reimbursements, safety support for travel timings, maternity support including additional leave for complications, IVF reimbursement support, transport support during last trimester, premium travel arrangements during pregnancy, enhanced medical coverage, hybrid flexibility for new mothers, and sabbatical options for mothers to support children’s education.
What Mahindra Looks for While Hiring
Naved: In hiring for the farm industry, what specific skills or qualifications are typically sought? Are hiring managers aligned?
Sanket: What we are not focusing on anymore as a prerequisite is that someone must come from the farming industry. It’s an added advantage, but not a must.
What matters is conceptual clarity in your function. If you are strong in sales, marketing, manufacturing, or product development, that is important.
A big desirable aspect is passion for the purpose: transforming farming and enriching lives. People often need to connect with farmers, understand pain points, and speak their language. That requires genuine alignment with the purpose.
Audience Q&A
Autonomous features and skills
Q: The tractors have autonomous vehicle features? What skills are needed so candidates can learn them?
Sanket: Yes, autonomous features exist, but autonomy in tractors is different from cars. In farming, autonomy relates to implement control, lifting and positioning equipment correctly, optimizing operations like turning radius, automated braking systems, and precision controls.
Driverless tractors are also in concept stages. Electric tractors are also being worked on. My view is electric tractors may still be a little in the future, mainly because of current price gaps versus fuel-based tractors, and the cost sensitivity of farming customers. But it will become a need of the future and we are investing now.
Bridging traditional farming and modern tech
Q: How is Mahindra bridging the gap between traditional farming practices and modern technology for farmers in rural areas?
Sanket: Through advisory services and demonstration. We have Krishi centers at dealerships and technique plots where we demonstrate the cost versus benefit and show results on the ground. Farmers believe when they see it.
Collaborations with institutions and startups
Q: In what ways is Mahindra collaborating with educational institutions and startups to promote innovation and skill development?
Sanket: We work with government skill development programs and train technicians to make them employable. We also have tie-ups with agricultural institutes and universities: projects, hiring, and engagement.
There are opportunities for freshers, especially through agri universities. Typically, college pass-outs are first exposed to sales and field roles connected with farmers, and then they can grow into other roles like manufacturing or service.
Closing
Naved: Thank you so much, Sanket. I’m sure we’ll be connecting again for a different topic. With this, we come to an end of this exciting session. Thanks to all our audiences for joining us.
Sanket: Thank you, Naved, and thank you to everyone who joined. Apologies, I usually am very passionate, so I go overboard when I’m talking about the farming industry and the farming roles, but I hope that was useful information.
Naved Falak: Absolutely. Thank you. Thanks everyone, take care. Bye-bye.
