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By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 3:26:24 pm

Seventy-six mayors ruled BMC since 1931

After four years, Mumbai to salute its first citizen Kishori Pednekar Vishwanath Mahadeshwar Snehal Ambekar Sunil Prabhu Mumbai: As the date for appointing Mumbai’s First Citizen looms closer, various political parties have adopted tough posturing to foist their own person for the coveted post of Mayor – the ‘face’ of the country’s commercial capital. Ruling Mahayuti allies Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena have vowed that the city...

Seventy-six mayors ruled BMC since 1931

After four years, Mumbai to salute its first citizen Kishori Pednekar Vishwanath Mahadeshwar Snehal Ambekar Sunil Prabhu Mumbai: As the date for appointing Mumbai’s First Citizen looms closer, various political parties have adopted tough posturing to foist their own person for the coveted post of Mayor – the ‘face’ of the country’s commercial capital. Ruling Mahayuti allies Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena have vowed that the city will get a ‘Hindu Marathi’ person to head India’s richest civic body, while the Opposition Shiv Sena (UBT)-Maharashtra Navnirman Sena also harbour fond hopes of a miracle that could ensure their own person for the post. The Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) optimism stems from expectations of possible political permutations-combinations that could develop with a realignment of forces as the Supreme Court is hearing the cases involving the Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party this week. Catapulted as the largest single party, the BJP hopes to install a first ever party-man as Mayor, but that may not create history. Way back in 1982-1983, a BJP leader Dr. Prabhakar Pai had served in the top post in Mumbai (then Bombay). Incidentally, Dr. Pai hailed from Udupi district of Karnataka, and his appointment came barely a couple of years after the BJP was formed (1980), capping a distinguished career as a city father, said experts. Originally a Congressman, Dr. Pai later shifted to the Bharatiya Janata Party, then back to Congress briefly, founded the Janata Seva Sangh before immersing himself in social activities. Second Administrator The 2026 Mayoral elections have evoked huge interest not only among Mumbaikars but across the country as it comes after nearly four years since the BMC was governed by an Administrator. This was only the second time in the BMC history that an Administrator was named after April 1984-May 1985. On both occasions, there were election-related issues, the first time the elections got delayed for certain reasons and the second time the polling was put off owing to Ward delimitations and OBC quotas as the matter was pending in the courts. From 1931 till 2022, Mumbai has been lorded over by 76 Mayors, men and women, hailing from various regions, backgrounds, castes and communities. They included Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Parsis, Sikhs, even a Jew, etc., truly reflecting the cosmopolitan personality of the coastal city and India’s financial powerhouse. In 1931-1932, the Mayor was a Parsi, J. B. Boman Behram, and others from his community followed like Khurshed Framji Nariman (after whom Nariman Point is named), E. A. Bandukwala, Minoo Masani, B. N. Karanjia and other bigwigs. There were Muslims like Hoosenally Rahimtoola, Sultan M. Chinoy, the legendary Yusuf Meherally, Dr. A. U. Memon and others. The Christian community got a fair share of Mayors with Joseph A. D’Souza – who was Member of Constituent Assembly representing Bombay Province for writing-approving the Constitution of India, M. U. Mascarenhas, P. A. Dias, Simon C. Fernandes, J. Leon D’Souza, et al. A Jew Elijah Moses (1937-1938) and a Sikh M. H. Bedi (1983-1984), served as Mayors, but post-1985, for the past 40 years, nobody from any minority community occupied the august post. During the silver jubilee year of the post, Sulochana M. Modi became the first woman Mayor of Mumbai (1956), and later with tweaks in the rules, many women ruled in this post – Nirmala Samant-Prabhavalkar (1994-1995), Vishakha Raut (997-1998), Dr. Shubha Raul (March 2007-Nov. 2009), Shraddha Jadhav (Dec. 2009-March 2012), Snehal Ambedkar (Sep. 2014-March 2017). The last incumbent (before the Administrator) was a government nurse, Kishori Pednekar (Nov. 2019-March 2022) - who earned the sobriquet of ‘Florence Nightingale’ of Mumbai - as she flitted around in her full white uniform at the height of the Covid-19 Pandemic, earning the admiration of the citizens. Mumbai Mayor – high-profile post The Mumbai Mayor’s post is considered a crucial step in the political ladder and many went on to become MLAs, MPs, state-central ministers, a Lok Sabha Speaker, Chief Ministers and union ministers. The formidable S. K. Patil was Mayor (1949-1952) and later served in the union cabinets of PMs Jawaharlal Nehru, Lah Bahadur Shastri and Indira Gandhi; Dahyabhai V. Patel (1954-1955) was the son of India’s first Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel; Manohar Joshi (1976-1977) became the CM of Maharashtra, later union minister and Speaker of Lok Sabha; Chhagan Bhujbal (1985-1986 – 1990-1991) became a Deputy CM.

The House That BYD Built

By owning every link in its supply chain, China's electric-vehicle titan is outpacing rivals and redefining the rules of global manufacturing.

In the race to electrify the world’s roads, no company better exemplifies the power of vertical integration than BYD. What began as a modest battery firm in Shenzhen has quietly morphed into the world’s largest electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer, dethroning Tesla in global battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales by the final quarter of 2023.


At the heart of BYD’s success is a simple but radical idea: make almost everything yourself. Unlike rivals that depend on sprawling networks of suppliers, BYD produces roughly 75 percent of its own vehicle components including the lithium-ion batteries, semiconductors, electric motors and control systems that power its sleek sedans and nimble buses. Across more than 100 internal factories, this manufacturing muscle gives BYD granular control over cost, quality, and delivery. That autonomy has proved priceless in an age of supply chain chaos.


Where other automakers reeled from chip shortages and geopolitical shocks, BYD pressed ahead. Battery output hit 135 gigawatt-hours in 2022, insulating the firm from third-party price gouging and logistics snarls. Even amid the turbulence of rising raw material costs and geopolitical friction, BYD maintained its stride by owning key inputs by securing lithium mines in Brazil and cementing access to cobalt and nickel. It has managed not just to avoid crisis, but to convert it into competitive advantage


Control, however, is not merely about security but also about speed. BYD can take a car from concept to production in just two years, half the time many traditional carmakers require. By collapsing decision-making hierarchies and eliminating friction between engineering, production, and procurement, the company pivots with the agility of a tech startup. That nimbleness is increasingly vital as consumers’ tastes and governments’ regulations shift at breakneck pace.


BYD has embedded cutting-edge technologies into every node of its manufacturing network. Smart factories, dense with sensors and powered by AI—forecast demand, optimise production, and automate warehousing with minimal human intervention. Internet-of-things devices track components in real-time, while predictive analytics schedule maintenance before breakdowns occur. This allows BYD to scale output up to three times faster than conventional manufacturers, while keeping costs and disruptions low.


The embrace of AI and data science is matched by an equally methodical approach to quality. Borrowing from the gospel of Lean and Six Sigma, BYD has institutionalised a culture of continuous improvement that drives defect rates ever lower. In the factory, this results in faster cycle times and more consistent quality; in the showroom, it translates to competitive pricing and satisfied customers.


BYD’s commitment to self-sufficiency extends even to the end of a battery’s life. Rather than discarding used cells, the company recycles them in-house. This closed-loop model not only slashes waste and environmental impact but also cushions the firm from future resource scarcities. In an era where ESG credentials are scrutinised as closely as quarterly earnings, BYD’s integrated sustainability is more than just good PR, being a hedge against volatility.


To be sure, BYD is not completely isolated. The company forms selective partnerships with technology titans like Toyota, NVIDIA and Huawei that augment its innovation pipeline without compromising core autonomy. But the guiding philosophy remains: own what matters most, outsource only where value is additive.


Between 2016 and 2023, BYD scaled annual production from half a million vehicles to over 4 million. Battery prices have plunged by more than 80% over the past decade, helping it offer EVs at prices once thought impossible. In 2024, the firm posted revenues of $107 billion, with net profits soaring 34 percent year-on-year. Its vehicles now outsell Tesla’s, not just in China, but globally - a milestone that would have seemed fanciful just five years ago.


The broader lesson from BYD’s ascent is not that vertical integration is fashionable again, but that it may be indispensable. In a world defined by geopolitical, climatic or epidemiological volatility, resilience is the new gold standard. BYD’s fortress-like supply chain is not merely a feat of engineering or logistics; it is a strategy of survival in an age of disruption.


Other automakers would do well to study the blueprint. The future of mobility may not belong to the firm with the flashiest technology or most charismatic CEO. It may belong instead to the company that controls its destiny.


(The author is a digital product leader passionate about energy innovation, manufacturing and driving impact through technology. Views personal.)


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