Focus, curiosity, humility, firm opinions, and vision. Five immediate characteristics that this writer could associate with Dr. Pawan Goenka, Executive Director & Group President (Auto & Farm Sector), Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. during this interview.

Well, it was déjà vu for me because my impression from the previous interview (June 2014) with him wasn't much different.

He is almost taken aback as I congratulate him for becoming the first Indian to receive the prestigious ‘2016 FISITA Medal of Honor' for his ‘outstanding contribution to the global automotive industry'.

Indeed, a matter of pride not just for the Mahindras and for the Indian automotive industry but also for every Indian! Of course, he values it but isn't very keen to make it a talking point now. As we start the Q&A, he re-confirms the subject of discussion and we move ahead.

India's agriculture minister (Shri Radha Mohan Singh) had recently said (at Indian Soil Science Institute's 81st Annual Conference in Gwalior) that a ‘tremendous challenge is being posed on how we should deliver sophisticated technology to the farmers and to their fields'. That is exactly what Mahindra is trying to do, Dr. Goenka points out. Then he explains why and how behind it.

He says: "Yes, there has been continuous improvement on different fronts but there hasn't been any disruptive change in the way agriculture is done in India. I am talking more in terms of use of technology; I am not talking about the use of seeds and stuff like that.

"At the same time, globally, there is a lot of focus on precision farming - what that would mean is that how do you use technology to improve your yield, to improve the quality of output, to reduce the use of inputs like seeds, fertilisers, nutrients, etc., to select the right quality and quantity of seeds at the right places, to use water in the right places and the right quantity, and so on."

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