HAMARA BAJAJ
Rahul Bajaj, Chairman of the Bajaj Group of Companies (annual group turnover of USD 2.25 billion), needs no introduction. Recognized as one of the most successful business leaders of India, he also heads the flagship Bajaj Auto Ltd, India’s premier 2 and 3-wheeler company. He believes that imagination gives a picture and a strong vision gives an impulse to own up that picture. He has always had a vision to provide the right path to the Indian corporate world, and fortunately enough for his contemporaries and the gen-next, he has never let them down. As a born leader, he has been at the forefront whenever the industry at large has needed this brave and forthright protector of their cause, to articulate plans and strategies, and see those through with his sheer genius and commitment. Bajaj is known more for his willingness to stand for a common cause than on slogging it for his own bottom-line or top line. A brilliant mind and an articulate orator, Bajaj has for more than 3 decades now, been seen as a bridge between the industry and the establishment, for the simple reason that he has the audacity to call a spade a spade, and in the process he gets justice for his milieu. Also, he is one industrialist for whom the biggest worry is the poise of “Bharat” which lives in utter poverty, misery, illiteracy and disease. He is one of the most restless advocates for India reinventing itself into a truly inclusive society. A philanthropist to the core, he is actually living to see the impoverished in the country, truly empowered. He is involved with several charitable foundations which are all doing extremely meaningful work. Be it the Tsunami, or be it any other calamity, Bajaj is always amongst the first to stand up with the nation. Reams and reams can be written on this son of the soil and his love for the nation and its constituents. It has been a matter of no surprise, therefore, that his name is taken with utmost respect, not merely as a leading industrialist of the country, but more importantly, because of the lion-heart that he possesses for the good of the people. The author of this piece literally had tears rolling out of his eyes listening to this quintessential humanitarian, on how he wishes to see India progress, duly encompassing the hitherto un-empowered. No matter that his company’s turnover might be lesser than that of a couple of his contemporaries (because, for him, the priorities are quite different), but such is the mettle and wisdom of this business leader; rather, statesman, that, be it the media or be it the government of the day, Bajaj is invariably the first industrialist to be contacted whenever a point of view, or a pragmatic suggestion is sought with respect not just to the industry, but with respect to the economy at large, and no one has ever been disappointed, as this genius has always come up with the best of opinions, solutions, measures, plans, et al. An Economics graduate from Delhi University, a Law graduate from Bombay University and an MBA from Harvard Business School, Bajaj has been the CMD of Bajaj Auto Ltd since 1968 till he relinquished the post of managing director in 2005 to allow the younger ones a hand at the steering. Awards and accolades have chased him all along. His election to the Upper House in June 2006 is actually a much belated vindication of this hugely, socially concerned citizen. He has been conferred several awards; has headed several institutions and organizations, and is the Chairman of a host of companies, a brief account of which is as thus: In 1975, Bajaj received the "Man of the Year" award from the National Institution of Quality Assurance. He was selected as Business India's Businessman of the year 1985. In 1988, he was felicitated for his achievements in a public function by the Pune Municipal Corporation. He received the Bombay Management Association Award for the most distinguished services in the field of management in 1990. FIE Foundation awarded him the Rastrabhushan Award in 1996. Lokmanya Tilak Smarak Trust awarded him the Lokmanya Tilak Award in 2000. Bajaj was awarded the 'Padma Bhushan' by the President of India in March 2001. He was awarded the Jeevan Sadhana Gaurav Puraskar by the Pune University for 2002 and he was the first person to be inducted by the ICICI Bank and the leading automotive magazine, Overdrive, in the Indian Automotive Hall of Pride - 2003. He received both – ‘The Economic Times’ and ‘Ernst & Young Life Time Achievement Award’ in 2004. Degree of Doctor of Letters (Honoris Causa) was conferred on him by the Rani Durgavati Vishwavidyalaya (formerly Jabalpur University) in March 2005. He was also conferred the degree of Doctor of Arts (Honoris Causa) by IIT Roorkee and the Alumni Achievement Award by the Harvard Business School, both in September 2005. He was the President of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII - 1979-80/1999-2000). He is also a Former President of Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) and Mahratta Chamber of Commerce, Industry And Agriculture (MCCIA) and a Former Chairman of the Development Council for Automobiles and Allied Industries. He is also a member on the Executive Board of Indian School of Business. He was appointed Chairman (1986-89) of the Government owned domestic carrier, Indian Airlines. He was the Co-Chairman of the Board of Commonwealth Business Council and continues to be a director. President of India nominated Bajaj as the Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay on 12th May, 2003 for a 3 year term. He is a Member & former Chairman of the International Business Council of the World Economic Forum, Geneva and a Member of Harvard Business School's Asia Pacific Advisory Board and International Advisory Committee of NYSE. Bajaj was appointed by His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales as a member of the Prince of Wales International Business Leaders Forum. He was the Chairman of the Indian Delegation to the Trade and Poverty Forum of the German Marshal Fund of the US. He is the Chairman, Bajaj Auto Limited; Bajaj Auto Finance Limited; Mukand Limited; Bajaj Allianz Gen. Insurance Co. Limited; Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance Co. Limited. He has shouldered all these responsibilities and more with rare perfection, quintessence and aplomb. Bajaj stands taller than six feet in his socks when it comes to transporting the entire Indian middle class on his two and three wheels. Not only is Bajaj the most sold two-wheeler on the roads of India, it is also the most exported two-wheeler in the nation's history. Though most of his time is spent on thoughts and envisions to see his nation truly empowered, worrying about the impoverished as a true Samaritan that he is, he is no less focused on his responsibility towards his share holders to see that his 10000+ crore group companies earn more than they spend. In 2005-06, Bajaj Auto, the flagship company made 2.2 million vehicles with 11,000 workers. For decades now, the Bajaj 2 & 3 wheelers are ubiquitous, visible in every nook and corner of India, and in many countries of the world. Bajaj vehicles, in many ways become the status symbol of the country's middle class. Its popularity could be gauged from the fact that in the 1970s, there was a waiting list for 10 years before one could finally purchase a Bajaj scooter. Today, the waiting list might not be relevant, but Bajaj has for 4 decades now (an unparalleled inning by any standards!), been perpetually acknowledged as one of India’s most respected industrialists, who, as a distinctive plus, vis-a-vis his contemporaries, is saluted for his restless crusades for the cause of the impoverished millions in the country. In this domain he has few parallels in the industry.