Osamu Suzuki, a leader who defied conventions, outlived challenges

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Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. My first car was a Maruti 800, as it was for millions of Indians who discovered the joys of driving with this wonder car. This little marvel not only revolutionised personal mobility but also laid the foundation for India’s automotive revolution, putting an entire subcontinent on wheels.

The Maruti 800 is the most iconic symbol of the legacy of Osamu Suzuki, who recently passed away at the age of 94. The company announced that Suzuki died on 25 December after a battle with malignant lymphoma. For us in India, Suzuki is synonymous with the Maruti story which is well-documented and extensively written about.

It’s a saga of twists and turns, chance and intrigue, worthy of a Netflix series. There are many protagonists in the story; Sanjay Gandhi, who died in an air crash; his Prime Minister mother, who wanted to build a national car company in his memory; brilliant IAS officers like V. Krishnamoorthy and R.C.

Bhargava, who made her dream a reality. But, the main hero of this blockbuster has to be Osamu Suzuki and the most defining gamble of his long career was taking a punt on India when the market was anything but certain. In 1982, he signed a joint venture with the Indian government to create Maruti Udyog Ltd, a move that most global automakers considered risky.

They had shied away from India’s closed economy, with its nascent auto industry. But Suzuki’s belief in the potential of the 800, a compact, affordable and efficient car for the Indian middle class, proved prescient. The Maruti 800, launched in 1983, became a symbol of aspiration for millions of Indians and the cornerstone of the country’s burgeoning automotive industry.