All in 1: Strategic yet detail-oriented, outspoken but kind

This tribute to ‘Hamara’Rahul Bajaj—a stalwart among corporate leaders and a dear friend of over three decades—is very personal, and not emotionally easy for me.

- A N Roy

Rahul, whose recent loss has deprived the Indian industry of its strongest and most fearless voice, was a peerless leader who set benchmarks in many ways. After his education at the finest institutions, he was tasked with managing the then-fledgling Bajaj Auto. He settled in Akurdi, a sleepy village 27km from Pune—which continued to be his only home till the end. From there, he grew the company from three crore rupees to Rs 30,000 crore as it went from ‘Hamara Bajaj’ to the ‘World’s Favourite Indian’ with exports to over 70 countries.

Rahul operated simultaneously at two levels. As a visionary, strategic thinker he created super-scale, successful businesses, including Bajaj Auto with a market cap in excess of Rs 100,000 crore, run efficiently by son Rajiv who is bringing sustainability into mobility and restarting scooters in an electric avatar. Rahul’s decision to demerge Bajaj Auto into four significantly enhanced the value of the group and also created a financial services business run by younger son Sanjiv which combines stability and disruption in a unique way to become the gold standard in the marketplace.