Gwalior: Charanjeet Nagpal, Founder, Chairman and Managing Director of Prem Motors Pvt. Ltd. and one of Gwalior’s most respected automobile entrepreneurs, has passed away in Dubai.
His passing has come as a major loss to Gwalior’s business and automotive community, where he was widely regarded as a self-made entrepreneur who built one of central India’s most successful automobile dealership networks.
According to initial information, Charanjeet Nagpal had travelled to London with his wife for business-related work and was returning to India via Dubai. During the journey, he suffered a heart attack at Dubai Airport at around 5 a.m. on Monday, leading to his demise. He was 66 years old.
Nagpal began his entrepreneurial journey in 1981 with a small automobile spare parts shop in Gwalior. In July 1989, he took over a Rajdoot Motorcycles dealership, then known as Prem Motors, as an ongoing concern. With steady expansion, disciplined business practices and a strong focus on customer satisfaction, he later built Prem Motors into a major automobile dealership group.
The company’s journey with Maruti Suzuki began in Gwalior in 2001. Over the years, the business expanded across Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana and other regions, with interests spanning automobile sales, service, commercial vehicles, pre-owned cars and transportation.
Prem Motors has grown into one of the notable Maruti Suzuki dealership groups in India, with substantial investments in showrooms, workshops, infrastructure and vehicle inventory. Public company data places its revenue in the ₹2,000–₹2,250 crore range, reflecting the scale achieved by the group over the years.
Despite his business success, Nagpal was known for maintaining a low profile. People associated with him describe him as calm, disciplined and focused, someone who preferred work over publicity. His reputation in Gwalior was built not only on business growth but also on his ability to expand steadily without seeking the limelight.
Nagpal had received several recognitions during his career. He was honoured with the Gwalior Ratna Award in 1998–99 by late Madhavrao Scindia. Prem Motors also received repeated recognition as one of the highest taxpayers in the Gwalior region, including the Bhamashah Award for multiple consecutive years.
He was also associated with several social and professional bodies, including Lions Clubs International, Jiwaji Club, MPCCI, Gwalior Division Cricket Association, FADA and automobile dealers’ associations.
Nagpal is survived by his children, Kanwaljeet and Garima. His son Kanwaljeet Nagpal has also been associated with the business and the group’s growth journey.
For Gwalior, Charanjeet Nagpal’s death marks the end of an era in the city’s automobile business. From a modest spare parts shop to a multi-state automobile network, his journey remains one of the most inspiring business stories to emerge from the region.
