Rahul Bajaj: An outspoken business leader

Veteran industry leader Rahul Bajaj, who built the Bajaj Auto group into a vast empire in the automotive sector, passed away in Pune yesterday (February 13, 2022), he was 83.

Bajaj took charge of the Bajaj Group in 1965 as its Managing Director and continued in this role till 2005. In 2005, he stepped down from his role and handed over the baton to his son Rajiv Bajaj.

A charismatic business leader, Bajaj was associated with several business associations and was the President of CII twice in 1979-80 and in 1999-2000. For his outstanding work and contribution to the Indian industry, the then President Pranab Mukherjee presented him the CII President’s Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2017. Bajaj was also the recipient of the Padma Bhushan the third highest civilian award, in the year 2001.

The greatest attribute of Bajaj was that he never let the times get ahead of him and kept pace with the demands of the times. He was known for his sharp business acumen and always kept up with changing trends in the auto sector with continuous innovation that met global standards.

Under his leadership, Bajaj scooter became more than a two-wheeler to transcend into the aspirations of the masses, to which every Indian was emotionally attached. Thus truely becoming ‘Hamara Bajaj’.

Post his active participation in the company’s day to day affairs, his sons held the flag high and followed his great values and principles to successfully run and grow the company to become India’s largest conglomerate – both in the auto and the finance sectors.

The industry has lost a courageous and outspoken business leader, who was very frank in his views and opinions. Bajaj’s passing away has created a huge void in the Indian industry and will be difficult to fill for a long time to come.

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