Who is Ramkripa Ananthan? Meet the pioneering woman designer behind Mahindra Thar and XUV700 designs
Mahindra Thar and XUV are among some of the most distinctive SUVs on Indian roads. Over the years, their muscular, bold and commanding road presence has become synonymous with Mahindra. But not many people know the person behind these standout designs. Meet Ramkripa Ananthan, the former Head of Design at Mahindra who shaped the Thar and XUV as we know them today.
A Mechanical Engineering graduate from BITS Pilani, Ananthan also holds a Master of Design (M.Des) in Industrial Design from the IDC School of Design, IIT Bombay. Ananthan began her career at Mahindra as an Interior Designer in 1997.
Her initial work included the interiors of Bolero, Scorpio, and Xylo, and in 2005, Mahindra promoted her to Head of Design. In her new role, Ananthan is credited with establishing a world-class design studio equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and a creative, productive environment. During this period, she also played a key role in the design of XUV500, which acted as an inspiration for future XUV models. In an old interview, Ananthan recalled that while working on XUV 500, she was asked to take inspiration from a cheetah for the design process.
In 2019, Ananthan was elevated to Chief Designer at Mahindra and created iconic designs for three products- Thar, XUV700 (Q2 F22), and Scorpio (Q4 F22).
Other major works of her team include the Mahindra TUV 300, XUV 500, KUV 100, XUV 300 SUVs and the Marazzo MPV.
In 2021, she left Mahindra to set up her own company, KRUX Studio. According to Ananthan, KRUX Studio is a ‘customer and constraints’-based guide to creating differentiated design and experiences.
In July 2022, Ananthan joined Ola Electric as the Head of Design, where she leads the design efforts for both the two-wheeler and the upcoming 4-wheeler divisions.
In recognition of her contribution to the Indian automotive landscape, she was awarded the Distinguished Alumnus Award by BITS Pilani in 2021.
“As a car designer, I can tell you that the job is fun. Every car is a challenge. Resolving corners is tricky, getting the right harmony can drive you crazy. The complexity keeps you engaged,” Ananthan said about her work in a 2022 LinkedIn post.
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