New Delhi:
In a heartfelt tribute that transcended borders and bridged decades, the Hon’ble President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, posthumously conferred the Padma Vibhushan on Mr. Osamu Suzuki, the legendary former Chairman of Suzuki Motor Corporation and Honorary Chairman of Maruti Suzuki India Limited. The ceremony, held at Rashtrapati Bhawan on 28th April 2025, recognized his towering contribution to trade and industry – and, let’s be honest, to the dreams of every Indian middle-class family who proudly drove their first Maruti 800.
Accepting the honour on behalf of his father, Mr. Toshihiro Suzuki, President of Suzuki Motor Corporation, remarked with visible emotion, “I believe my father is smiling from above, fondly remembering his 45-year-long love affair with India – his second home.” Indeed, if India were a Bollywood movie, Osamu Suzuki would’ve been the selfless foreign hero who gave us mobility, mileage, and Marutis – without ever demanding a song-and-dance number in return.
Mr. Toshihiro added, “This award is not just for my father, but for everyone at Suzuki and Maruti Suzuki, and all our partners who turned an Indo-Japanese handshake into a nationwide movement on wheels.” Safe to say, few other relationships can boast of producing 30 million vehicles and millions more memories.
A Life Engineered to Serve
Born on January 30, 1930, Osamu Suzuki may have earned a law degree from Chuo University, but it was in the language of pistons and partnerships that he truly found fluency. Joining Suzuki Motor Corporation in 1958, he eventually rewrote not just the company’s history, but also India’s automotive destiny. Under his visionary leadership, Maruti Suzuki’s annual production climbed from 1 lakh units in 1983 to a jaw-dropping 2 million units in 2024. Oh, and along the way, he casually oversaw over 3 million vehicle exports from India too.
It’s no exaggeration to say that Mr. Suzuki didn’t just give India affordable cars – he gave India confidence. He helped shift aspirations from two wheels to four, from humble beginnings to highways of growth.
More Than Just an Award
This Padma Vibhushan is more than a medal. It’s a chrome-plated thank-you to a man who saw potential where others saw potholes. A salute to a leader whose legacy isn’t confined to boardrooms, but roars down every Indian street – from Delhi’s DND to Darjeeling’s hills.
As Mr. Toshihiro Suzuki concluded, “We, at Team Suzuki, will carry forward Osamu Suzuki’s commitment with the same passion – to create inclusive, sustainable mobility solutions loved by the people of India.”
And if the nation could speak collectively today, it would probably say, “Thank you, Mr. Suzuki – for making us drive forward, literally and metaphorically.”
