It was a glittering event in Chennai in September 2012, all decked up for the launch of a motorbike. Riding on the 125-cc motorcycle, Phoenix, Sudarshan Venu, the then vice-president of TVS Motor Company, entered the dais elegantly, as shutterbugs and TV camera persons captured the moment enthusiastically.  

Mr Venu, a few months past 23 years then, was beaming with confidence. That was young Sudarshan’s first public appearance under the TVS banner. Fresh out of college and after a few jobs at TVS Group companies, Mr Venu still looked like he was fully in control of the situation. And his broad smile did not betray the tough time that the Chennai-based automobile company was passing through. Rival Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India had replaced TVS Motor as the third-largest two-wheeler manufacturer, pushing TVS to the fourth position.

Cut to June 2025, and TVS Motor is back at the third position. The two-wheeler-maker’s domestic market share has also risen to a little over 18 per cent from around 13 per cent in 2012. The Phoenix, which had hit the road in 2012, seems to have lived up to the name of the legendary bird in restoring the company’s fortune.

But it would not be wrong to credit Mr Venu and, of course, the TVS team for the company’s robust performance in a little over a decade. The confident, 23-year-old young man of 2012 is now 36, and with age and wisdom, he is further self-assured today. Besides, his responsibilities have enhanced considerably from vice-president to managing director in 2022. And he is all set to take over as chairman and managing director on August 25.

At 36, Mr Venu will be one of the youngest CMDs. Born into the illustrious TVS family to Venu Srinivasan – the chairman emeritus of TVS Motor Company – and Mallika Srinivasan – the CMD of tractor-maker Tractors and Farm Equipment (TAFE) – it would be easy to assign Mr Venu’s ascent to his rich heritage. But the TVS scion has, in fact, earned it with sheer hard work and impeccable academic credentials. He is a mechanical engineer from University of Pennsylvania and has an economics degree from Wharton School, apart from a postgraduate degree in international technology management from University of Warwick.

Immediately after his education, young Sudarshan joined Sundaram-Clayton. He also took up many other roles and responsibilities across TVS and its sister companies. Mr Venu played a key role in the company’s international expansion into Africa, South-East Asia, Latin America and Europe. He was also very deeply involved in TVS’ acquisition of Norton Motorcycles and EGO Movement. 

Electrification and personal mobility are the two pillars of
Mr Venu’s long-term focus. His early bet on electric two-wheelers (E2Ws) has placed TVS as India’s second-largest E2W manufacturer, with its iQube e-scooter capturing over 24 per cent of the E2W market. As Mr Venu takes over as the new CMD, a soft interest regime and expectations of better GDP numbers bode well for TVS Motor to rev up its growth engine.