Hyderabad: The first Tesla car rolled into Hyderabad after city surgeon Dr Praveen Koduru bought a Model Y, the sixth Tesla registered on Indian roads.
Dr Koduru, an advanced laparoscopic and laser surgeon at Sree Nandaka Fertility and Laparoscopy Centre in Kompally, took delivery in Mumbai on September 27. He booked the car soon after Tesla opened its showroom there.
Another Hyderabad buyer booked a Tesla, but Koduru secured delivery first. He drove the ultra-red Model Y from Mumbai, covering 770 kilometres with charging stops at Pune and Solapur.
Tesla car Hyderabad buyer slams tax
Koduru criticised Telangana’s vehicle tax rules. The Model Y cost ₹63 lakh, yet he paid an additional 22% because the purchase happened outside Telangana. Electric vehicles registered within the state face no tax, but out-of-state purchases lose that exemption.
Despite the extra cost, Koduru performed a vahan pooja. Photographs showed the car decorated with garlands and kumkum, with coconuts broken for blessings. He posted online: “No car, including Tesla, can get a five-star safety rating in Indian culture unless a vahan pooja is done.”
The images quickly spread online. Users hailed the scene as a fusion of tradition and technology. One wrote: “In India, vahan pooja is the ultimate crash test certification.” Another added: “Even Tesla is not safe without nimbu or mirchi.”
