SK Maini, founder of Maini group, no more

Sudarshan Kumar Maini, 87, founder of the Maini Group of industries, manufacturers of India’s first electric car Reva, passed away on December 26 after a prolonged illness.

He received an undergraduate degree from Banaras Hindu University. Loughborough University, UK honoured him with a degree of Doctorate in Technology for his contribution to Industry in India in 2006. The Vice Chancellor of Banaras Hindu University conferred on SK Maini a distinguished Alumnus Award in recognition to his Epoch Making Contribution to the Field of Propagation of Mahamana's Ideals in 2009. SK Maini co-authored a book on the founder of Banaras Hindu University titled Visionary of Modern India - Madan Mohan Malaviya.

He was a member on the Advisory Board of ICREATE - an organisation for propagating Innovations & Technology. He was a member on the Board of Trustees of Ekal Vidyalaya Movement which runs over 40,000 single teacher schools in remote villages. He started Gramothan Foundation in 2009 with an objective to improve the quality of life by eliminating the poor from rural India in the shortest possible time with systems which are workable, sustainable and scalable to improve.

In 2013, he co-authored a book entitled Reva EV: India’s Green Gift to the World along with Sandhya Mendonca Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, CMD of Biocon tweeted, “Celebrated industry doyen n founder of the Maini Group, Sudarshan Maini passed away on 26th December after a prolonged illness. He will be remembered as a pioneering entrepreneur who supported his son Chetan to commercialise India’s first EV Reva, his wife’s name. May his soul RIP”