Bet On Emissions Drives Growth For Sharda Motor

THE STRATEGY TO DEVELOP IN-HOUSE TECHNOLOGY FOR EMISSIONS HAS HELPED THE DELHI-BASED COMPANY MITIGATE THE ECONOMIC DOWNTURN DURING THE PANDEMIC AND SHIELD ITS CORE BUSINESS FROM EV DISRUPTION.

- RISHI KANT

THE YEAR WAS 2008, A norm, accepted across all quarters in the automobile original equipment manufacturers (OEM) space, was to install emission control systems from technologies originally developed on foreign soil. A slew of joint ventures, partnerships and technical agreements were forged for this purpose. India’s bellwether automobile manufacturer, Maruti Suzuki, operated (and still operates) out of Haryana. Sharda Motor Industries Ltd. (SMIL), an auto ancillary manufacturer, which had forayed into the business of exhaust systems a decade back, was headquartered in neighbouring Delhi. It is here that the company’s managing director and promoter, Ajay Relan, conceived and brooded over the minutiae of his idea.

He had the conviction to deploy capital in a research and development (R&D) centre to develop in-house emission control technology. It would eliminate reliance on foreign partners. His vision met with scepticism. “There were no underlying numbers or financials to support its viability,” says Aashim Relan, the CEO of the company, and Ajay’s son.

Today, the 60-year-old Ajay beams with pride while talking about the R&D centre. He emphasises that SMIL does not import the technology because of the R&D centre. “An endeavor, which began with a single individual, employs about 150 people,” adds Aashim.