Rahul Bajaj | 1938-2022: India Inc loses a voice that spoke with out concern, for enterprise and values

A LION IS now at relaxation. Veteran industrialist Rahul Bajaj, who handed away Saturday on the age of 83, spoke up for enterprise like no different from India Inc did – one of many many explanation why he strode throughout India’s industrial panorama like a colossus for over 50 years.
After assuming cost on the Bajaj Group in 1965, Rahul – who was named by India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru – helmed it for 4 a long time and constructed a worldwide manufacturing firm, earlier than handing over flagship Bajaj Auto’s keys to son Rajiv Bajaj in 2005. In his lifetime itself, Rahul’s ‘Hamara Bajaj’ not solely evoked nationalism, but additionally empowered and remodeled the lives of thousands and thousands of middle-class Indians. If Bajaj ‘Sunny’ gave wings to the free-spirited younger ladies of a newly liberalised India, the corporate’s motorbikes turned the favoured product for the Indian youth — anticipating the altering demographics.

Today, the enterprise empire, comprising Bajaj Auto, Bajaj Finance, Bajaj Finserv and Bajaj Holdings and Investment Ltd, has a mixed market capitalisation of over Rs 8.4 lakh crore.
After PV Narasimha Rao bit the political bullet in 1991 and scripted the primary chapter of India’s financial reforms, Bajaj, in contrast to a number of different huge teams together with the Modis, Mafatlals, Singhanias and the Thapars, stood floor. While Rahul Bajaj did spearhead the Bombay Club – a bunch of prime industrialists then together with HS Singhania, Lala Bharat Ram and CK Birla – to demand safety for home business, he didn’t cease modernising. “He never let those arguments get in the way of developing globally competitive products,” factors out Naushad Forbes, Co-Chairman of Pune-headquartered Forbes Marshall, and a director on the board of Bajaj Holdings.

Expressing condolences, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated, “Shri Rahul Bajaj Ji will be remembered for his noteworthy contributions to the world of commerce and industry. Beyond business, he was passionate about community service and was a great conversationalist. Pained by his demise. Condolences to his family and friends. Om Shanti.”

“He was a very unique individual. He was both a competitor and a friend. He was also a friend of my father and he regarded him as his Guru. He had very clear values, a strong differentiation of right and wrong and was an institution builder. Not only did he build his company, but he was also a big leader for the industry,” stated Sunil Kant Munjal, Chairman, Hero Enterprise. “He had no hesitation in showing a mirror to anyone regardless of their position and was a straightforward and fearless individual,” he stated.

Months after the 2002 Gujarat riots, when the Confederation of Indian Industry was internet hosting then Chief Minister Modi in New Delhi, Rahul Bajaj pointedly requested him if Gujarat was protected for traders in the course of the ‘Question and Answer’ session.

More lately, in his speech within the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Railways and Commerce minister Piyush Goyal as viewers in November 2019, he spoke his thoughts. At the gathering of prime industrialists together with Mukesh Ambani, Kumar Mangalam Birla, Sunil Bharti Mittal amongst others throughout an ET Awards occasion, Bajaj stated, “Nobody from our industrialist friends will speak, I will say openly… An environment will have to be created… In UPA II, we could abuse anyone… You are doing good work but despite that we don’t have the confidence that you will appreciate if we criticise openly.”
Bajaj, who described himself as having been born “anti-establishment”, spoke what different industrialists feared to say. Responding to his issues, Shah stated that there isn’t a want for anyone to concern, nevertheless in case you are saying that there’s a sure type of ambiance, then “We will have to take effort to improve the atmosphere,” Shah stated.

Bajaj additionally flagged the difficulty of lynchings. “It creates a hawaa— intolerance ki hawaa hai — hum darte hain…kuch cheezon ko hum bolna nahi chahte hain par dekhte hain ki koi convict he nahi hua abhi tak (It creates an environment of intolerance and we are scared. We don’t want to say certain things, but we see that till now no one has been convicted),” Bajaj had stated.
Corporate leaders stated the doyen of the Indian enterprise world might be missed for his mental honesty and ease. As the President of CII for 2 phrases – 1979-80 and 1999-2000 – he led the business throughout two essential durations.
“I have heard him speak many times in Indian industry and there were times when there could be no one more inspiring because he expressed confidence in India and its industries. He was someone who believed if something was right to say or do, one must say or do it because that is the right thing to do. I think we need more such people around,” stated Naushad Forbes.

According to TVS Motor Chairman Venu Srinivasan, he was among the many few stars who created the Indian automotive business. “He was a pioneer who established a culture of quality and technology. He stood for high integrity in business and stuck to his principles. Rahul played a key role in industry bodies around the world like World Economic Forum and CII and was very well respected. He will be sorely missed,” stated Srinivasan.
Many really feel that Bajaj’s contribution to India is unparalleled. His efforts to advertise native manufacturing has helped construct the muse of Aatmanirbhar Bharat for many years. “This is a personal loss for me of a good friend whom I have known for nearly 50 years. He was one of the most dynamic and forthright businessmen of his time. He has created an empire and passed it on to the next generation to grow and nurture. I have always admired him for being a passionate and fearless voice of the industry and will miss his presence,” stated Hemendra Kothari, Chairman, DSP Investment Managers.