Dr. Pawan Goenka, former Managing Director of Mahindra & Mahindra and current Chairman of INSPACe (Indian National Space Promotion & Authorization Centre)—an autonomous government agency facilitating private sector participation in space activities—has been awarded the prestigious Padma Shri in the ‘Trade and Industry’ category.
He has been recognized for his significant contributions to strengthening India’s space sector and advancing state-of-the-art automotive capabilities.
An accomplished engineer and advocate of the Make-in-India initiative, Dr. Goenka holds a B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering from IIT Kanpur and a Ph.D. from Cornell University, USA. He is also a graduate of the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.
Dr. Goenka began his career at General Motors’ R&D Center in Detroit, USA, where he worked from 1979 to 1993. He later joined Mahindra & Mahindra as General Manager (R&D) and was appointed Managing Director in 2016, playing a pivotal role in the company’s growth and innovation.
Dr Goenka retired in March 2021`after 27 years with M&M and over four decades in the automotive industry, only to take up a new assignment at the Government of India’s Department of Space.
In 2019, with India Auto Inc witnessing a slowdown, Dr Goenka, who was a regular speaker at the annual SIAM and ACMA conventions, detailed 10 mantras for India Auto Inc to ride out the slowdown and emerge stronger in a future what he foresaw as an age of technological and other disruptions.
Dr Goenka, who is the first Indian to be awarded the FISITA Model of Honour in 2016, is also known as the ‘prime architect’ of SAE India – the national body of automotive engineers in India. He is also the only person to be voted Autocar Professional‘s ‘Man of the Year’ twice (CY2006 and CY2011).
The Padma Awards, among India’s highest civilian honors, are presented annually in three categories: Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri. These awards recognize exceptional contributions across various fields, including art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, and civil service.
The Padma Vibhushan is awarded for exceptional and distinguished service, the Padma Bhushan for distinguished service of a high order, and the Padma Shri for distinguished service in any field. The recipients are announced each year on Republic Day.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his congratulations to the 2025 Padma awardees, highlighting their remarkable dedication and achievements. In a post on X, he wrote: “Congratulations to all the Padma awardees! India is proud to honor and celebrate their extraordinary achievements. Their dedication and perseverance are truly motivating. Each awardee is synonymous with hard work, passion, and innovation, which has positively impacted countless lives. They teach us the value of striving for excellence and serving society selflessly.”
