TVS Motor’s Sudarshan Venu named Autocar Professional Person of the Year 2025

MUMBAI: Sudarshan Venu has had a vintage year. Autocar Professional has named the tvs motor chairman and managing director its Person of the Year 2025, recognising a leadership run that has propelled one of India’s most storied two-wheeler makers firmly onto the global podium.

Chosen by the publication’s editorial team, the award honours an industry leader whose decisions have materially shaped the Indian automotive sector’s direction and competitiveness. This year, the spotlight falls on Venu for engineering a sharp strategic turnaround that has lifted tvs motor into the world’s top three two-wheeler manufacturers by volume, overtaking Yamaha and making it only the second Indian brand to crack the elite club.

The rise has been anything but accidental. Under Venu, tvs has tightened execution, gained share in scooters, premium motorcycles and electric two-wheelers, and built an export engine that now contributes close to a quarter of revenue. Growth has been paired with healthier margins and sustained profitability, underscoring a model built for durability, not quick wins.

Autocar Professional editors cited a leadership style that blends discipline with ambition. Group business editor, pointed to Venu’s long game: a refusal to chase volume at the expense of fundamentals, and a focus on capability building and brand elevation. Moves such as acquiring Norton Motorcycles and Italy’s Engines Engineering signal a clear intent to compete in the global premium arena while lifting engineering depth across the portfolio.

The message is clear. In a fast-evolving two-wheeler market, scale alone no longer cuts it. Vision, patience and precision do. On that score, Sudarshan Venu has set the pace — and the rest of the industry is scrambling to keep up.