suparjya swain 
FEATURE: In the heart of Cuttack, where narrow lanes pulse with the rhythm of everyday hustle, a young boy once watched his father kneel beside trucks, hands blackened with grease, eyes steady with purpose. That boy was Anand Poddar — and those quiet moments in a modest tyre shop would one day ignite a revolution in how businesses grow, evolve, and empower.
Mr. Anand didn’t inherit an empire. He inherited a work ethic, a legacy of trust, and the silent dignity of a father who built something with his bare hands. What he did next wasn’t just about expansion — it was about transformation. With one foot rooted in tradition and the other boldly stepping into the future, Anand reimagined what a family business could become.
His journey from the narrow streets of Cuttack to becoming a multi-vertical business leader is not just one of perseverance but of purpose. Mr. Anand’s schooling began at Medical Public School, followed by +2 and graduation from Ravenshaw College—one of Odisha’s most prestigious institutions. Though he once aspired to become a Chartered Accountant, his entrepreneurial DNA tugged him in a different direction. He pursued an Executive MBA from KIIT University and sharpened his skills further with CRM training at Xavier Institute, along with a transformative workshop at IIM Ahmedabad. Yet, the real education came from the ground up—from failed ventures, missed chances, and lessons that only the marketplace could teach.
Fresh out of business school in the early 2000s, Mr. Anand distanced himself from the family trade, believing he could carve a new path. Those early ventures didn’t flourish. Looking back, he calls them “the best mistakes” of his life—failures that taught him the cost of risk, the value of focus, and the grit needed to survive. When he returned to Poddar Tyres in 2003, he was no longer the hesitant heir—he was a man on a mission, fueled by humility and hardened by experience.
The turning point came in 2010. Mr. Anand noticed that many of their long-time customers—truckers who had trusted his father for decades—were aging or retiring. The loyalty they had built was irreplaceable, but the market was evolving. Anand knew the business had to change, or it would slowly fade. He digitized inventory, implemented customer relationship systems, and pivoted towards data-driven service. He realized that tyres weren’t just about rubber — they were insights. By analyzing wear patterns, driving habits, and regional road conditions, Poddar Tyres began offering predictive maintenance, shifting from seller to solutions provider. “We stopped counting tyres sold and started counting problems solved,” he says with conviction.
Between 2011 and 2025, Mr. Anand systematically built new verticals. He launched a Tata-authorized workshop, partnered with Amul to expand into warehousing, established Odisha’s first truck alignment center in the eastern zone, and ventured into tyre retrading and recycling — long before sustainability became a buzzword. In 2022, he initiated an RVSF (Registered Vehicle Scrappage Facility) under the Government of India, and commercial operations began in 2025. Today, the Poddar Group offers services that cater to 80% of a trucker’s needs—everything from tyre care to recycling, except fuel and vehicle purchase.
At the core of Mr. Anand’s leadership is a powerful philosophy: empower the team, and the business will grow organically. He believes in distributed leadership, where employees feel like stakeholders, not subordinates. “A promoter may start the business, but the organization belongs to everyone involved,” he says. Embracing modern systems and accountability, Mr. Anand navigated the challenges of change with resilience, understanding that true leadership involves making decisions that pave the way for sustainable growth. His approach has cultivated a culture of collaboration and shared purpose, positioning the organization to adapt and thrive in an ever-evolving landscape.
“We must always think in a positive direction,” Mr. Anand says. “If something seems impossible, we should ask, ‘Is there another way to make it possible?’ That shift in thinking opens up new paths. We’ve created a plug-and-play system—ready-made solutions that only need space, resources, and an open mindset to succeed. But no system works without real dedication. This isn’t about just starting a business and letting staff handle everything. The promoter must be present, involved, responsible. Everything will be provided—but effort and sincerity are expected in return.”
Mr. Anand believes that while today’s youth are blessed with conveniences that earlier generations could only dream of—like personal vehicles, digital access, and supportive families—these comforts should not become cages. “Today’s generation is fortunate to have access to so many resources—be it vehicles, technology, or supportive families,” he reflects. “But true growth often comes from facing challenges. While comforts are valuable, it’s the struggles that build resilience, character, and leadership. If we can encourage our youth to step beyond what’s easy and take ownership of their journey, they’ll be capable of achieving extraordinary things.”
Mr. Anand’s future vision is bold and expansive: a pan-India, multi-brand tyre and automobile service franchise. His dream is to create a “one-stop-shop” network—integrating tyre sales, alignment, retrading, warehousing, and scrappage—across 100, then 1,000 locations. He wants truckers across India to have access to standardized, trustworthy service, wherever the road takes them.
Despite his many achievements, Mr. Anand remains grounded. “I haven’t achieved anything yet,” he says quietly. “It’s a journey. Every step is part of the staircase to something greater.”
As the sun sets over the same Cuttack shop where his father once bent down to change tyres, Mr. Anand now watches a technician perform laser alignment on a luxury SUV. It’s a powerful image—the same soul of service, now equipped with tools of the future. In every tread pattern that leaves the Poddar Group’s gates, a legacy rolls forward—firm, resilient, and headed straight into tomorrow.
