Hamara Bajaj: Business icon who always spoke his mind dies at 83

Rahul Bajaj, chairmanemeritus of Bajaj Auto,who died in Pune on Saturday of cardiac and respiratory ailments at age 83, wasn’t known to mince words, or give up easily without a fight.

In 1970-71, when licences and production capacities were tightly controlled, he vigorously argued his company’s case for producing more scooters. Some 20 years later, he became one of the most vocal members of the ‘Bombay Club’ seeking a “level-playing field” for Indian businesses after the 1991 reforms. And, more recently, in 2019, at the ET Awards, in the presence of Union ministers, he spoke about the need to create an environment where businessmen could openly criticise policies and still be appreciated.