Anand Mahindra With Stephen Hawking In This "Blast From The Past"

Businessman Anand Mahindra treated fans to a "blast from the past" today, sharing an old picture that shows him with the late British physicist Stephen Hawking. The photograph was taken during Mr Hawking's 2001 visit to India. It shows the chairman of Mahindra Group standing next to the celebrated physicist at the Taj Hotel in Mumbai.

Anand Mahindra, 65, revealed that the auto team at Mahindra Group had created a specially kitted minivan for Stephen Hawking's Mumbai visit so he could travel comfortably within the city. The celebrated physicist spent much of his life in a wheelchair, steadily losing control over his muscles because of Lou Gehrig's disease.

According to the Indian Express, Mr Hawking was given a tour of Mumbai in the specially designed vehicle from Mahindra & Mahindra that could accommodate his wheelchair. 

"Blast from the past! Thanks to a friend who shared this pic from her archives; from Stephen Hawking's visit to Mumbai in 2001," wrote Anand Mahindra. "I was particularly proud that our auto team created a specially kitted minivan for him so he could travel with ease throughout the city," he added. 

Blast from the past! Thanks to a friend who shared this pic from her archives; from Stephen Hawking's visit to Mumbai in 2001. I was particularly proud that our auto team created a specially kitted minivan for him so he could travel with ease throughout the city. pic.twitter.com/ka003zKpV6

— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) March 18, 2021

Since being posted this evening, the throwback picture has collected over 1,300 'likes' and dozens of reactions.

Stephen Hawking visited India in January 2001. He was one of the three scientists to be felicitated with the first Sarojini Damodaran Fellowship by the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in Mumbai, and was invited to attend a conference on string theory.

During his 16-day tour, he also met the then President KR Narayanan in New Delhi and visited the Qutab Minar.