Osamu Suzuki, known for his frugal ways, led Japan's Suzuki Motor for over four decades and played a vital role in transforming India into a thriving auto market. He passed away at the age of 94 on December 25 due to lymphoma. The company, which he steered ambitiously during his tenure as either chief executive or chairman, expanded beyond its core market of minivehicles. Suzuki's emphasis on cost-efficiency was legendary.
He implemented measures like lowering factory ceilings to save on air conditioning and preferred economy class air travel even in his later years. When asked about his retirement plans, he famously quipped, 'Forever,' or 'until the day I die.' Born Osamu Matsuda, Suzuki adopted his wife's family name, a common practice in Japan for families without a male heir. He joined the company founded by his grandfather in 1958 and rose through the ranks to become president two decades later. In the 1970s, he rescued the company from near collapse by securing an engine supply deal with Toyota Motor to meet new emissions regulations. Further success followed with the launch of the Alto minivehicle in 1979, which became a huge success, strengthening Suzuki Motor's negotiating position when it partnered with General Motors in 1981. Suzuki then took a bold gamble by investing a year's worth of the company's earnings to establish a national car maker in India. Driven by his ambition to 'be number one somewhere in the world,' he saw India's potential despite its limited automotive industry at the time, with annual car sales below 40,000, mostly consisting of British-made vehicles