Anand Mahindra, Chairman of the Mahindra & Mahindra Group, took to social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, to express his desire to gift a Thar SUV to cricketer Sarfaraz Khan’s father, Naushad Khan, as a token of appreciation for being an inspiration. On February 15, 2024, Sarfaraz Khan made his international test cricket debut against England at Rajkot, making an immediate impact by scoring 62 runs.
He willingly sacrificed his wicket to pave the way for Ravindra Jadeja, who was nearing a century. Mr. Mahindra expressed on X, “Hard work. Courage. Patience. What better qualities than those for a father to inspire in a child? For being an inspirational parent, it would be my privilege & honour if Naushad Khan would accept the gift of a Thar.”
“Himmat nahin chodna, bas!”
Hard work. Courage. Patience.
What better qualities than those for a father to inspire in a child?
For being an inspirational parent, it would be my privilege & honour if Naushad Khan would accept the gift of a Thar. pic.twitter.com/fnWkoJD6Dp
— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) February 16, 2024
Sarfaraz Khan received his Test cap from the legendary spinner Anil Kumble, bringing immense joy to his entire family, including his father, who was moved to tears. This moment of triumph has been long-awaited, as the 22-year-old left his mark on the international stage. Naushad and Sarfaraz have dedicated over 15 years to pursuing this dream. Naushad, a Western Railways employee, emerged from humble beginnings. To overcome financial hurdles, he sold toffees and cucumbers to train passengers. Anand Mahindra’s gesture of offering the Thar lifestyle off-road SUV to Naushad Khan acknowledges his resilience and role as a model parent.
The Thar SUV currently boasts a starting price of Rs. 11.25 lakh, reaching up to Rs. 17.20 lakh for the top-spec model (ex-showroom) available in 2WD and 4WD trims. The 4WD off-roader is equipped with either a 2.2L mHawk four-cylinder diesel engine or a 2.0L Stallion four-cylinder petrol engine, while the rear-wheel-drive Thar features a 1.5L diesel engine.