Osamu Suzuki conferred with Padma Vibhushan
Osamu Suzuki, the former Chairman of Suzuki Motor Corporation and former Director & Honorary Chairman of Maruti Suzuki India Limited, has been posthumously awarded the Padma Vibhushan, India's second-highest civilian honour. The award was conferred by the President of India, Droupadi Murmu, in a solemn ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhawan on April 28.Recognised for his outstanding contribution to trade and industry, Osamu Suzuki played a pivotal role in shaping India's automotive landscape through his deep commitment to Maruti Suzuki's growth and development over four decades.advertisementAccepting the award on behalf of his late father, Toshihiro Suzuki, Representative Director and President of Suzuki Motor Corporation, expressed heartfelt gratitude. 'My sincere gratitude to the Honourable President of India and the Government of India for awarding the prestigious Padma Vibhushan to my father, Osamu Suzuki, former Chairman, Suzuki Motor Corporation. I have just received this high-level award on his behalf, and I am deeply honoured. I believe he is, from heaven, looking back fondly on the 45 years he spent with India, his second home,' he said.
Toshihiro Suzuki further acknowledged the role of every employee and business partner in this journey: 'This award belongs not just to my father, but to everyone at Suzuki, Maruti Suzuki, and our partners who made this journey possible. It also reflects the love of the Indian people towards Suzuki.'advertisementHe affirmed Suzuki's continued commitment to India, stating, 'We at Team Suzuki will carry forward Osamu Suzuki's legacy with the same passion, delivering inclusive and sustainable mobility solutions for India.'Osamu Suzuki's vision began with a modest annual production capacity of 1 lakh units in 1983, and under his leadership, Maruti Suzuki scaled remarkable heights, achieving a cumulative production of 30 million units and reaching 2 million units annually by 2024. The company also played a major role in boosting India's automobile exports, surpassing 3 million cumulative exports, and today, Maruti Suzuki accounts for 43% of India's total passenger vehicle exports.The Padma Vibhushan honour stands as a testament to Osamu Suzuki's transformative impact on India's mobility landscape and enduring legacy in Indo-Japanese industrial relations.Subscribe to Auto Today Magazine
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