Jagdish Chandra Mahindra was born circa 1892 in Ludhiana, Punjab.  The eldest of nine children, the loss of his father at an early age placed the responsibility for the family on his shoulders.  He believed strongly in the power of education and ensured that all his brothers and sisters studied hard.  J.C. received his degree from Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI) Mumbai, one of India's premier engineering and technical institutes.  He sent his brother K.C. to Cambridge.  The brothers were very close and the love and trust between them was extraordinary.  J.C. started out his career with Tata Steel, serving as the senior Sales Manager from 1929 to 1940.  When the steel industry became critical during World War II, the Government of India appointed him as the first Steel Controller of India.  As Independence approached, J.C. was prescient about the opportunities that Indian entrepreneurs would have to contribute to the growth of the newborn nation.  His vision and ambition led him to start Mahindra & Mohammad in partnership with K.C. and Ghulam Mohammed. His vision and insight into India’s post-independence economic development enabled Mahindra & Mahindra to grow to the size, scope, and impact it has reached today. J.C. died tragically of a heart attack in 1951

Kailash Chandra Mahindra was born in 1894 in Ludhiana, Punjab, the second of nine children. When their father died at an early age, his older brother J.C. stepped into the role of head of the family. K.C.’s deep lifelong friendship with J.C. was remarkable.  K.C. studied at Government College, Lahore where he showed early promise of a brilliant scholastic career.  Continuing his studies at Cambridge, UK, he earned Honors, played hockey, and took a keen interest in rowing. When K.C. graduated from Cambridge, Mr. Sachinanda Sinha, Vice Chancellor of Patna University, introduced him to Mr. R.N. Mukherjee, Senior Partner of Messrs. Martin & Company.  He quickly rose through the company, editing the monthly magazine INDIA and, briefly, theHindustan Review.  In 1942, K.C. was appointed Head of the Indian Purchasing Mission in the United States.  Returning to India in 1945, he was appointed the Chairman of the Indian Coal Fields Committee of the Government of India and also of the Automobile and Tractor panel.  His contribution to developing strategic coal policies and applying the latest methods of coal mining in India helped shape the industry, and his Coal Commission Report became a seminal document in the industry.  During these years, he also wrote a biography called “Sir Rajendranath Mookerjee: A Personal Study.” In 1946, K.C. moved to Bombay with his brother J.C. to found Mahindra & Mohammed.  Under his 13-year leadership as Chairman, Mahindra & Mahindra established itself as a major Indian industrial house in several sectors.  He also served as Director of RBI, Air India, and Hindustan Steel and Chairman of Indian Aluminium Company.  K.C. died in 1963