Rahul Bajaj (1938-2022) was an Indian businessman. He is well recognized to be the awardee of the Padma Bhushan Award, the third-highest civilian award in India. He died in February 2022 of pneumonia at the age of 83.
Contents
Wiki/Biography
Rahul Bajaj was born on Friday, 10 June 1938 (age 83 years; at the time of death) in Calcutta, British India (now Kolkata). He did his schooling at Cathedral & John Connon School in Mumbai. He went to St. Stephen’s College in Delhi, Government Law College in Mumbai, and Harvard Business School in the US for further studies.
Rahul Bajaj in his youth
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 9″
Hair Colour: Salt & pepper
Eye Colour: Dark Brown
Family
Parents & Siblings
Rahul Bajaj’s father, Kamalnayan Bajaj, was an Indian businessman and politician. His mother’s name was Savitri Bajaj.. Rahul was the grandson of freedom fighter Jamnalal Bajaj. He has two younger siblings, a brother, Shishir Bajaj, and a sister, Suman Jain.
Rahul Bajaj’s father, Kamalnayan Bajaj
Rahul Bajaj’s mother, Savitri Bajaj
Rahul Bajaj’s brother, Shishir Bajaj
Wife & Children
In 1961, Rahul Bajaj got married to Rupa Bajaj. The couple was blessed with three children, two sons, Rajiv Bajaj, and Sanjeev Bajaj, and a daughter, Sunaina Bajaj
Rahul Bajaj with his wife, Rupa Bajaj
Rahul Bajaj with his sons
Rahul Bajaj’s daughter Sunaina
Religion
He was a follower of Hinduism.
Signature
Rahul Bajaj’s signature
Career
After completing his studies in 1965, Rahul Bajaj joined the Bajaj Group, a diversified business conglomerate founded by his grandfather, Jamnalal Bajaj. He took over the reins of the Bajaj Group as its Chairman and Managing Director in 1968, succeeding his father. He oversaw the group’s flagship company, Bajaj Auto, growing its revenue from 7.5 crores to 12,000 crores, with the company’s scooter, the Bajaj Chetak, serving as the primary growth driver.
Bajaj Chetak
In 2005, he appointed his son Rajiv Bajaj as the managing director of the Bajaj Group. In 2008, Rahul split Bajaj Auto into three companies to improve shareholder earnings and allow his sons, Rajiv and Sanjiv, more control over the company’s operations. Rahul Bajaj owned 24% of Bajaj Holdings & Investment and 10% of the insurance and consumer lending firm Bajaj Finserv. His other investments include a 2% stake in Bajaj Finance, a 14% stake in home appliance company Bajaj Electrical, and a 19% stake in Mukand, which is a manufacturer of wire rods, alloy castings, and steel bars.
Awards
- In 1964, he was awarded the Alumni Achievement Award by Harvard Business School for MBA.
- In 2001, Rahul Bajaj was awarded the Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian award in India.
- In 2017, Bajaj was honored with CII President’s Award for Lifetime Achievement.
Rahul Bajaj receiving an award
Net Worth
His net worth was $4.2 billion.
Death
On 12 February 2022, Rahul Bajaj, at the age of 83, took his last breath after he suffered from pneumonia in Pune. He has cancer and heart issues prior to his death.
Facts/Trivia
- From 2006 until 2010, Rahul Bajaj was a member of the Upper House of Parliament.
- He was voted to be the president of the Confederation of Indian Industry for two years, 1979-1980, and 1999-2000
- He was chairman of Indian Airlines, the International Business Council at the World Economic Forum, and the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay.
- Bajaj was a member of the International Advisory Council at the Brookings Institution and served as a member of the South Asia advisory board at Harvard Business School.
- He gained a ranking of 722nd on its list of the world’s wealthiest.
- Rahul and his brother shared a great bond with Mahatma Gandhi’s children.
- Author Gita Piramal wrote a biopic of Rahul Bajaj and named it ‘Rahul Bajaj: An Extraordinary Life.’
The book ‘Rahul Bajaj An Extraordinary Life’
