Former Suzuki Motor Corporation chairman Osamu Suzuki dies at the age of 94, has a special connection with India
Osamu Suzuki's boldest move was to enter the Indian market in the 1980s. In 1982, Suzuki formed a joint venture with the Government of India, resulting in the start of Maruti car manufacturing in the country. Let's know more about this.
Former chairman of Suzuki Motor Corporation and the pioneer of the company's expansion in the world, Osamu Suzuki died at the age of 94. The company said that he died on December 25 due to lymphoma. He was born on January 30, 1930, in Gero, Japan, Osamu Matsuda joined the company in 1958 after marrying into Suzuki's founding family. Taking his wife's surname, he began a transformational journey that made Suzuki Motor a well-known name in small cars and motorcycles around the world.
Under his leadership, Suzuki led for two terms as chairman, making him the longest-serving head of a global automaker. During Suzuki's tenure, Suzuki Motor entered into strategic alliances with both General Motors and Volkswagen. The company used the alliances to expand its presence in North America and Europe.
The boldest step taken by Osamu Suzuki was the entry into the Indian market in the 1980s. Suzuki entered into a joint venture with the Indian government in 1982, after which the manufacturing of cars started within the country by Maruti. This partnership introduced a small car called the Maruti 800, which immediately made it big and helped Suzuki reach the leading position in the Indian market. Maruti Suzuki remains the biggest car manufacturer in India even today, accounting for the highest sales in the world regarding the company.
