Anand Mahindra offers to make ventilators, donate full pay for COVID aid

Expressing concerns over reports that India is likely to have already reached stage-3 of coronavirus transmission, Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra on Sunday said his conglomerate will work on how its manufacturing facilities can make ventilators.

In a series of tweets he said, “Going by various reports from epidemiologists, it is highly likely that India is already in stage-3 of transmission. Cases could rise exponentially with millions of casualties, putting a huge strain on medical infrastructure.”

Going by various reports from epidemiologists, it is highly likely that India is already in Stage 3 of transmission.
—Cases could rise exponentially with millions of casualties, putting a huge strain on medical infrastructure (1/5)

— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) March 22, 2020

He further added, “A lockdown over the next few weeks will help flatten the curve and moderate the peak pressure on medical care. However, we need to create scores of temporary hospitals and we have a scarcity of ventilators.”

Sharing plans of the group which has presence across sectors ranging from farm equipment to aerospace, he said, “To help in the response to this unprecedented threat, we at the Mahindra Group will immediately begin work on how our manufacturing facilities can make ventilators.”

The billionaire businessman also agreed to offer assistance to the government and the army in the erection of temporary care facilities.

The group’s project team stands ready to assist the government and the Army in erecting temporary care facilities, he said adding that the Mahindra Foundation will create a fund to assist the hardest hit in our value chain (small businesses and the self-employed).

Mahindra also said he will contribute his 100 per cent salary to the fund and add more over the next few months while encouraging “associates to voluntarily contribute”.

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“I urge all our various businesses to also set aside contributions for those who are the hardest hit in their ecosystems,” he said.

On work front, due to COVID-19, Mahindra & Mahindra announced a temporary halt in manufacturing operations at their respective facilities on Sunday.

(With inputs from agencies.)