Fada@50 by Varuna

Bertrand Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;souza Editor, Overdrive

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NEY OF R U A O U J

IVE RET

A I L

L E C

A TIN R B E G

Years

T O

50 E

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step...

CONTENTS VISION 06 FOREWORD 12 CAPTAINSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; SPEAK 24 Content description Ximporum ulparchita conseque sitat.Oluptat endipsunt aut hilit.

LANDMARK EVENTS

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DEALERSHIP PROFILE 50 Content description Ximporum ulparchita conseque sitat.

PEOPLE 92 Content description Ximporum ulparchita conseque sitat.

COMPANY PROFILE 100 Content description Ximporum ulparchita conseque sitat. Oluptat endipsunt aut hilit, cus derovidebis con comnis dipsam quae consed que

ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS Content description Ximporum ulparchita conseque sitat.

110

Years

VISION

We aim to positively impact the stakeholders of automotive retail. A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single stepâ&#x20AC;Ś A little over five decades ago, we at the Federation of Automobile Dealersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Association (FADA) took that one single step to embark upon a journey. The journey was driven by a vision and determination. The journey was an example of classic team work. FADA decided to make a difference to the automotive retail as it charted its own course through that journey in time. The journey was exciting, laden with bouquets and brickbats alike. And as Mr. Kipling would have put itâ&#x20AC;Ś the federation treated triumph and disaster just as same and emerged stronger. Since its inception in 1964, the federation has grown from strength to strength. Today, It represents all available brands in the automotive space in India. Its membership has grown from 30 dealers to over 3000 dealers. The federation today offers direct and indirect employment to over a million individual and churns over Rupees 500,000 crores as its topline. The federation has instituted best practice & excellence recognition system (ADEA). The federation has engaged with several private sector partners and OEs to build technological and systemic capabilities. The federation has also started working closely with National Skill Development Council (NSDC) to build a large reservoir of talent. Most importantly, FADA is now playing an important role along with the OEs to change the face of the automotive industry.

FADA, today, is one of the finest woven fabrics in the arena of automotive retail and a true example of synergized efforts. FADA believes in building communities of like minded individuals. It has taken upon itself to create forums and platforms for industry and the trade to come together and interact. Conversations, ideas and solutions that will lead to enhanced productivity, better profitability and increased customer satisfaction are the commandments of the changing times - Industry conventions, international delegations, research initiatives, recognitions & citations are some small steps taken to adhere. FADA also has embarked on a digital initiatives path. It will roll out internet & technology based initiatives enabling dealers to consume automotive news, developments, federation notifications, grievance redressal, transactions etc. Automobile dealers today are faced with new realities and opportunities. With the advent of technology, internet and social media, customers today are more mature and well-informed. The single biggest challenge today is to peek apace with changing times and to be equipped to work with the newer nuances of the industry and consumers.

T S Santhanam Dealership Name 1964 - 1966

R R Iyer Dealership Name 1966 - 1967

J M Rane Dealership Name 1968 - 1969

FADA PRESIDENTS 1964 - 2014

K N Talwar Dealership Name 1969 - 1971

M P Sanghvi Dealership Name 1972 - 1973

R K Poddar Dealership Name 1974

T K Seshadri Dealership Name 1975

S P Sanghi Dealership Name 1976

A K Agarwal Dealership Name 1977

M C David Dealership Name 1978

V K Surendra Dealership Name 1978 - 1980

Surendra Nath Dealership Name 1981 - 1982

K P Jhunjhunwala Dealership Name 1983 - 1984

Bharat M Sanghvi Dealership Name 1985 - 1987

S Gopu Dealership Name 1987 - 1988

M Ct muthiah Dealership Name 1988 - 1989

Ramesh Suri Dealership Name 1989 - 1990

Ravi Poddar Dealership Name 1990 - 1992

Arun Sanghi Dealership Name 1992 - 1994

K R Raghavan Dealership Name 1994 - 1996

Rakesh Jain Dealership Name 1996 - 1998

Vinay Nevetia Dealership Name 1998 - 2000

Deshnidhi Kasliwal Dealership Name 2003 - 2004

Jayendra Kachalia Dealership Name 2004 - 2005

Binod Agarwal Dealership Name 2005 - 2007

Pradip R Kamdar Dealership Name 2007 - 2008

S P Shah Dealership Name 2008 - 2010

Nikunj Sanghi Dealership Name 2010 - 2012

Mohan Himatsingka Dealership Name 2012 - 2014

K V S Prakash Rao Dealership Name 2014 -

50 Kailash Gupta Dealership Name 2000 - 2002

Ajit Chordia Dealership Name 2002 - 2003

Years

FADA EVENTS

Years

FOREWORD

Keshub Mahindra Chairman Emeritus, Mahindra & Mahindra Body text ment pelitat endaestotas il minctin vernam iderum rernat ut et aut pedi destia volut aut dunt que sitiusam qui volupta quasper chicideri qui qui omniendaIhita dolo optat dolest magnihi lloreictur sit el molor aperum laboris ea quae voluptas quia acestec totati nam quaesti dolorempor aut aut ario tem et adigeni aliquam landa corest, totatem nimilit minis aut la volorum, sinus idis similla borescim hilluta tatiumquos sendigente verae con estium faceraecus am conseque prationsequi aut dolut omnia voluptat fuga. Itas mil idia volorec eatio. Estrum iduci odi aboresc illabor aut fugit esto erum net eveliquist, ut excesed quam, aliqui duci blaborit aligent quidus volescium fugitius recus aut ut delicit lat maioriae aut mil incil incto excessum que ad ut rescilique quis molorenit ea nus, sequi bla pe dolum eosa conseni hilitium suntet, te sit dolumen tiorest, utem iumquisti delicientium fuga. Et int. Sequi cor moloristium hicaborem ipicius repellautem reratur reicium vella vel exceped ipientur? Eseceru ptatium nimus animillora dolorest, conempori conecea quatis elessequi ut volecumque veratem es autatquae at et, sum alis dolor reiur? Sitioria volum quid ut ipsumquost, sit volor anissime odignat remporem hiciaecepta digenis quiam, ut et ex eos

ne por siminulpa con es et latem fugias sa quo quam, autem quam con nihilluptam fugia vendion ne nim ullam suntiae. Um dolorep eribus con et eati ni ommo con plabo. Em dolestrunda ius que mos et inctendit quatem imillab orepelitat fugiant, in enim veliae quidi conseria dolorent, si nos elest re doluptati ad quunt qui intis dolore verunt et volorro cullor sa quis aliqui incto electassinti nobissit id ut essus. Andanim intusandit, omnimi, officae ptatum nobis veliquas iliatectium aut aceptatibus est dolupta dolorestis mos et magnihi ligniminvel maAs volest omnimagni blametur, te non nossum commo totatet adignati simus dolessit hilit, nistio consequi offic tempernam, ius in ea consequi doluptatemFugit ut providis quibus rehendi num dunt que quam dolupti ipsunt. El issum renisquiam as ute velias exerciuri to veligendae sitem eliqui oditae sectene porum re ra nis sum harcit voloria provit alignima vid moluptaqui ullutatus es nem aut accab id ut molupta corum ipsapiciis sunt exceperibus, qui illam, est, quiducitet repeles totature coreror epelenda ad et et, sed que volupta volesseque et volor rest dipsum volor res aborem eaqui ut quamusape posaese quatem quiAquo eos et quae namus id que optas non rero

Years

FOREWORD

Rahul Bajaj Chairman, Bajaj Auto Limited I congratulate the automobile dealership fraternity on its association FADA reaching a golden milestone. Any association’s achievements can only be measured by its contribution to its members’ business. FADA has grown to be one of the largest associations in the country by number of members and an all India spread. A no mean achievement and a testimony to its members’ satisfaction with its services. A broad based association like FADA has an excellent opportunity to create value for its members. It should use its golden jubilee to take stock of what it has achieved and what it should work towards. As an automobile manufacturer, our dealers are our front end. Our face to the customer. They crucially determine what the customer feels about us. On their capability and delivery of services rests the customer experience of our brand. For a very long time I was involved with our dealers. They have contributed greatly to our growth. They have been loyal to us. They have been a source of numerous very satisfying personal relationships. On this occasion I remember them fondly and thank them for their continued support. Times have changed since FADA was created. Change is the only certainty in business. On the whole new avenues have opened and are opening to improve the selling and servicing process. We should respond to the change and seek competitive advantage through being ahead of the curve of change. Digital mechanisms of communicating with customers have the potential to revolutionise, as they would have already done in the more progressive dealerships, our customer interaction.

Dealerships are now relatively big businesses. Even 20 years ago, men with modest means could become dealers. Now, the cost of land and inventory, make it a big business. So, it has to be managed differently, more professionally. But for each customer the buying and servicing process is unique and we have to deliver 100% customer satisfaction. Nothing less will do. In that they have to function like a personalised small business. The automotive industry delivers mobility which is an important aspect of the consumer’s life.this is why the future of the industry is assured. 20 years later we may be selling electric vehicles. But vehicles will continue to be sold. To me two things are important in running a successful enterprise. First, giving its people (and for me this includes employees, vendors and dealers) a sense of purpose and pride in belonging to the enterprise. Second, continually looking at adding value to every aspect of the enterprise, the source of which again are its people. Our enterprise will thrive only when society at large will want them to exist. Are we running such an operation is a question we should all ask ourselves. In this direction lies commercial success and personal happiness. Let us think and act big. With my best wishes to the FADA fraternity for their continued prosperity.

Years

FOREWORD

Ratan Tata Chairman Emeritus, Tata Sons Body text ment pelitat endaestotas il minctin vernam iderum rernat ut et aut pedi destia volut aut dunt que sitiusam qui volupta quasper chicideri qui qui omniendaIhita dolo optat dolest magnihi lloreictur sit el molor aperum laboris ea quae voluptas quia acestec totati nam quaesti dolorempor aut aut ario tem et adigeni aliquam landa corest, totatem nimilit minis aut la volorum, sinus idis similla borescim hilluta tatiumquos sendigente verae con estium faceraecus am conseque prationsequi aut dolut omnia voluptat fuga. Itas mil idia volorec eatio. Estrum iduci odi aboresc illabor aut fugit esto erum net eveliquist, ut excesed quam, aliqui duci blaborit aligent quidus volescium fugitius recus aut ut delicit lat maioriae aut mil incil incto excessum que ad ut rescilique quis molorenit ea nus, sequi bla pe dolum eosa conseni hilitium suntet, te sit dolumen tiorest, utem iumquisti delicientium fuga. Et int. Sequi cor moloristium hicaborem ipicius repellautem reratur reicium vella vel exceped ipientur? Eseceru ptatium nimus animillora dolorest, conempori conecea quatis elessequi ut volecumque veratem es autatquae at et, sum alis dolor reiur? Sitioria volum quid ut ipsumquost, sit volor anissime odignat remporem hiciaecepta digenis quiam, ut et ex eos

Years

FOREWORD

K P Jhunjhunwala Past President, FADA India obtained Freedom in 1947. Till 1947-48 the Automobile market in India was totally dependent, on either imported vehicles or assembled vehicles in Calcutta and Bombay. Vehicles were imported in Semi Knocked Down condition (SKD). After Independence, all the Importers and Manufacturers, who were foreigners, either closed their operations or sold them to Indian Business houses; and a new chapter started with Hindustan Motors and Premier Automobiles. Hindustan Motors made an Agreement with Morris Oxford of England and Premier Automobiles made an Agreement with Fiat of Italy. These 2 companies started assembling the vehicles with SKD packs first, subject to manufacturing in course of time, and reducing the import contents, in a phased manner. Hindustan Motors and Premier Automobiles started their assembly and slowly got into production. They took advantage of appointing some dealers, who had large showrooms and service specialties all over India. Ford Motor Co. and General Motors had Assembly Plants in Calcutta. G. Mckenzie and Dewars Garage also had Assembly Plants. The other vehicles were assembled mostly in Bombay. I remember that Kolkata alone had many dealers of imported vehicles, such as Chevrolet sold by Walford Transport in Park

Street; Dodge, Desoto and Plymouth sold by Auto Distributors belonging to Poddars, Pontiack sold by Jaidka, Austin Cars sold by Austin Distributors, Wolseey & Hillman sold by G Mckenzie in Park Street; Packard and Buick sold by Khaitan Motors in Park Street; and Land Rover by Dewars Garage. All these Dealers had large showrooms and workshops; though the business volume was not very big; but because of prestige, they had to maintain large establishments. I also remember in Calcutta, all the Taxis were big cars only. The maximum number of taxis were either Pontiack or Chevrolet The mantle of ensuring that all the manufacturers reach out to their customers was ably carried out by the dealerships across the country. It was a huge responsibility. More than the money, the passion and commitment were the driving force of business then. As The Federation of Automobile Dealersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Associations (FADA) completes its fifty years of existence, my thoughts go out to all those dealerships that have been around for more than fifty years. In my view, these are the real torch bearers of FADA and the automotive industry at large. I wish FADA all the success for the next fifty years. May our tribe grow in the years to come!!!

Years

FOREWORD

K V S Prakash Rao President, FADA Body text ment pelitat endaestotas il minctin vernam iderum rernat ut et aut pedi destia volut aut dunt que sitiusam qui volupta quasper chicideri qui qui omniendaIhita dolo optat dolest magnihi lloreictur sit el molor aperum laboris ea quae voluptas quia acestec totati nam quaesti dolorempor aut aut ario tem et adigeni aliquam landa corest, totatem nimilit minis aut la volorum, sinus idis similla borescim hilluta tatiumquos sendigente verae con estium faceraecus am conseque prationsequi aut dolut omnia voluptat fuga. Itas mil idia volorec eatio. Estrum iduci odi aboresc illabor aut fugit esto erum net eveliquist, ut excesed quam, aliqui duci blaborit aligent quidus volescium fugitius recus aut ut delicit lat maioriae aut mil incil incto excessum que ad ut rescilique quis molorenit ea nus, sequi bla pe dolum eosa conseni hilitium suntet, te sit dolumen tiorest, utem iumquisti delicientium fuga. Et int. Sequi cor moloristium hicaborem ipicius repellautem reratur reicium vella vel exceped ipientur? Eseceru ptatium nimus animillora dolorest, conempori conecea quatis elessequi ut volecumque veratem es autatquae at et, sum alis dolor reiur? Sitioria volum quid ut ipsumquost, sit volor anissime odignat remporem hiciaecepta digenis quiam, ut et ex eos

Years

FOREWORD

INDUSTRY CAPTAINS SPEAK

Industry Captain Name

Industry Captain Designation Industry Captain Company

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Years

Industry Captain Name

Industry Captain Designation Industry Captain Company

INDUSTRY CAPTAINS SPEAK

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Industry Captain Designation Industry Captain Company

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Industry Captain Designation Industry Captain Company

LANDMARK EVENTS

AUTO INDUSTRY OF INDIA

1942 Hindustan motors is born

1949 1944 Premier Automobiles Limited formed

Mahindra and Mahindra launch Willys Jeep (CJ-3A)

1949

1975

Production of motorcycle commenced in India with Royal Enfield

1981

Price Control Order Abolishment

1986 Launch of Maruti Udyog

The first Indian Auto Expo

2010 2010 2009 1998 1989 Helmets become mandatory by law

1991 Automobile industry de-licensing

1994

Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s First Expressway

Mercedes-Benz sets up shop in India

2001

India becomes Asiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s third largest Hero Honda exporter of cars split

Tata launches the Nano

CNG buses/ rickshaws introduced in Delhi

1942 Hindustan motors is born

n 1942 B.M Birla began what was effectively Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first automotive company. The firm began life at Port Okha, Gujarat. Operations were then shifted in 1948 to Uttarpara in West Bengal. However it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t until 1958 that Hindustan Motors, also known as Hind Motors bragn to assemble the car that it was most famous for - the Morris Oxford III based Ambassador. HM continued to build the Ambassador for nearly 60 years before production was finally ended in 2014. For many years the Ambassador was king of the road with the only competition coming from the Fiats built by PAL. In 1983 the company also brought out the more premium Contessa which was based on the Vauxhall Victor However the arrival of the Maruti 800 began the decline for HM. Customers were lured away by the more modern and far more affordable small Japanese car. Over the years, HM had many tie -ups with firms including Isuzu for engines and more recently, Mitsubishi Motors.

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1944

Premier Automobiles Limited formed

n 1941, the well-known Walchand Hirachand Group started selling DeSoto, Dodge, Fargo and Plymouth vehicles in India under license from Chrysler. As business picked up, Premier Automobiles Ltd. (PAL) was formed in 1944. In independent India PAL began local manufacturing of select automotive components to bring down the prices of these imported cars. But government laws back then classified these cars as luxury automobiles and so PAL needed a small car that could serve as the bread-earner for the brand. After negotiations with Fiat, in 1964, Premier started to manufacture the iconic 1100 sedan under licence. The new government laws put a cap on the number of cars that every company could sell every month and put restrictions on the model upgrades and replacements. Further additions to the laws in the 70s insisted local manufacturing of the cars and so the 1100 was then manufactured at PALâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s factory in Kurla in Mumbai. The name was changed from the 1100 to President, but upon objection from the government, it was then renamed to Padmini, inspired by Queen Padmini of Chittor. At subsidised rates, the vehicles were also sold to the Maharashtra state government as taxis, some of which run in Mumbai even today. Premier followed up with many other models like the Fiat 124 derived 118 NE, the Peugeot 307, the Uno and in current times, the Rio compact-SUV to name a few; but none have replicated the aura of the Padmini. At a time where the bulbous Ambassador was a favourite amongst the industrialists and politicians and when the imports were considered too big and expensive for our nascent market, the Padmini established itself as a sleek, compact, light and comfortable yet affordable car that became popular amongst white collar workers, upper middle-class families and even Bollywood celebrities. It dominated its bracket despite the advent of the Maruti 800, only to be challenged by the entry of the global brands in the economic liberalisation era that kick-started in 1991.

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Mahindra and Mahindra launch Willys Jeep (CJ-3A)

1949

he first Willys Jeep prototypes for civilian use (hence CJ for Civilian Jeep) were created around 1944. The CJ-3A came out in 1949 and it was around that time that Mahindra purchased the license to make these Jeeps in India. As did a number of other organisations in other countries. In 1953 came the CJ-3B, which is perhaps the most popular of the Jeepâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s civilian versions overall. The B had a higher grille and hood for a taller new engine. The B was the basis of a number of vehicles that Mahindra made even as late as 2010. Later, when the CJ-5 came out (with the curved bonnet), Mahindra continued to evolve their Indian line. The CJ-5 is regarded as the Willys/Jeep model that was produced for the longest time. In India, the MM540, the model based on the CJ-5 is considered one of the most iconic of the Mahindra Jeeps in design. It started production in 1985, received a new engine in 1997 and in 2000, Mahindra created the 8-seater version, the MM550. The same platform also created the Classic 4x4. While it boast a new chassis and engine, the Thar which came out in 2010, still has strong links to the MM540 and hence the CJ-5. Ment pelitat endaestotas il minctin vernam iderum rernat ut et aut pedi destia volut aut dunt que sitiusam

Mahindra and Mahindra launch Willys Jeep (CJ-3A)

1975

t was in 1949 that Madras Motor Company, based in Madras (now Chennai), won an order to supply Royal Enfield 350cc Bullets to the Indian Army. In the process, they became the first to manufacture motorcycles in India. The kits came from Britain and were assembled at their factory. Soon, the production would expand and engines would be assembled here as well. A year after the motorcycles started being assembled, the company introduced many other models, including the 650cc Meteor twin, a number of 250cc motorcycles and the big ones, the Super Meteor, Constellation and the Interceptor. Shortly afterwards, the Indian Army stipulated that the Bullets would continue to be part of the Armyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vehicles if it was made entirely in India. That really began the incredible history of the Royal Enfield brand as we know it today. By 1970, Enfield India would be the new company name. This is the company that would bring out the 250cc Mini Bullet, explore a tie-up with Zundapp that would lead to the Fury.

1975

Price Control Order Abolishment

rice controls and capacity controls were a feature of the Indian automotive industry in the postindependence years. The first informal price controls arrived - capacity controls were already in place - in the mid-fifties. It was in September 1969, that the Tarriff Commission’s recommendations led to statutory price controls on passenger cars. It was also around this time, roughly, that the Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices (MRTP) and the Foreign Exchange Regulation (FERA) Acts were part of the increasing regulation of the Indian auto industry. We had gotten used to technology transfers but the new government was looking into actual foreign investments. It was after the oil crisis that the Government began to encourage capacity expansion in the non-luxury segments, which led to the sudden spurt in the number of, for example, two-wheeler makers in the market. It was post 1975 that India saw a string of minor licensing regulations become more relaxed. In there was the lifting of price controls on cars, two- and three-wheelers.

1981 Launch of Maruti Udyog

aruti Udyog became a corporate entity in 1981 and the production of its first car, the Maruti 800, nee Suzuki Alto SS80 would start two years later. But Maruti’s full history starts as much as a decade earlier. In 1970, Maruti Technical Services was created as an R&D brain bank aimed at India’s first indigenous car. In 1971, Maruti Limited was created and Sanjay Gandhi became the top boss. Six years later, the company’s run ended. It was a year after Gandhi’s death that them prime minister Indira Gandhi pushed for the resurrection of the Maruti name and the search for a JV partner ended with Suzuki signing up for a 26 per cent stake in Maruti Udyog, the rest would vest with the Indian Government. Initially the company was only an importer. It was permitted to bring in 40,000 CBUs over the first two years. Then slowly the plans to localise more of the cars began. Competitors, Hindustan Motors and Premier Auto complained vociferously. But India had tasted a modern cat and the juggernaut that is Maruti Suzuki today was already gathering fearsome momentum.

Ment pelitat endaestotas il minctin vernam iderum rernat ut et aut pedi destia volut aut dunt que sitiusam

1986

The first Indian Auto Expo

he first Auto Expo was held in Delhi spread over nine days in January 1986. Officially it was meant to showcase how India was absorbing international technology - at the time, India was a land of tightly controlled industry featuring a number of joint ventures. The event saw the then prime minister, Rajiv Gandhi, visit the show underlining how important the show was. But the first Auto Expo wasn’t such a huge success or as important as the biennial show is considered today. When the 1986 show closed it was clear that the Indian automotive market wasn’t moving fast enough, wasn’t big enough to handle an annual show. It would take six years before the second Auto Expo would be held. The participation and scale of the event would grow, of course but that would come in time. The first show occupied 16000 square meters at Pragati Maidan in Delhi. Here are some names. Allwyn Nissan, AP Scooters, DCM Toyota, Escorts, Gujarat Narmada Auto, HMT, Ideal Jawa, Kinetic, Kelvinator, Maharashtra Scooters, Majestic Auto, Standard Motors... Many don’t exist anymore and others have been acquired, merged and purchased. But these names were amongst the participants who exhibited their products and technology at the first Auto Expo. It was in 1998 that the Auto Expo became a biennial event. From the first Auto Expo to now, India’s automotive production has become more than ten times greater. Arguably, the Auto Expo needs to grow further. Today the Auto Expo had moved into a better new home. It is considered amongst the most important shows on this side of the world and the showgoer numbers make it one of the best attended automotive shows of all.

Ment pelitat endaestotas il minctin vernam iderum rernat ut et aut pedi destia volut aut dunt que sitiusam

1989

1991

1994

Helmets become mandatory by law

Automobile industry de-licensing

Mercedes-Benz sets up shop in India

n 1988 a new Motor Vehicle Act replaced the one that had been serving the nation since 1939. Section 129 of this new act stated that anyone riding a motorcycle should wear a helmet. The act went into force in 1989 but even 26 years later, the authorities struggle to enforce the law. Nevertheless, the incorporation of the law came at exactly the right time. Motorcycles had just started to be mass produced a few years before and the market had just begun a growth story that would pass numbers the world had never seen in just a couple of decades. Helmet enforcement over the years has come in waves. Different states would suddenly declare that they going to enforce the rule which would sometimes stay in effect for a short while before lax set in with the enforcers. In some cases such as Bangalore the law is strictly enforced but in many large cities, Pune being a prime example, it would seem that the regulation doesn’t exist. There’s also the issue that our current ISI standards are outdated and that motorists are willing to use cheap and ineffective gear that can be picked up off the street for less than Rs 100. Road safety in India is still at appallingly low levels especially when it comes to two wheelers. Proper enforcement of Section 129 will go a long way in saving lives. But there’s an equally long way for that to happen.

he industrial de-licensing in 1991 marked the beginning of the economic liberalization era in India. The Government’s ambitious programme was based on the pillars of de-licensing, decontrol, deregulation and devaluation. In 1993, the new automobile policy was announced. Apart from de-licensing, the policy included automatic approval for foreign holding of 51 percent in Indian companies as well as reduction of excise and import duties. American, European, Japanese as well as Korean automobile manufacturers partnered with Indian companies and quickly set shop in the country. In fact, the total investment made in such a short span was unheard of at that time. Car buyers had a lot more options to choose from apart from the existing models made by Hindustan Motors, Maruti Suzuki and Premier Automobiles. Motorcycle brands also increased in number, especially in partnership with Japanese makers. From then on, the automobile industry has grown at a very rapid pace. Today it accounts for 22 percent of the country’s manufacturing gross domestic product (GDP) and is also one of the biggest job creators. The government even encourages foreign direct investment now up to 100 percent. The automobile industry is one of India’s best and fastest growing industries and this wouldn’t have been possible without de-licensing.

he year 1994 maybe when MercedesBenz India came into existence but the German brand’s association with our nation goes far before that. These luxury cars had been imported into India for years and the royalty was particularly fond of them, along with the British Bentleys and Rolls Royces. When the company first came to India they brought a powerful weapon, the iconic W124 series E-Class. Over the years more models came along but it was always the rectangular headlamp E-Class that people identified as a Mercedes-Benz. And this was in the days when the only other premium cars you could buy were the Maruti Esteem and Daiwoo Cielo. Owning a Mercedes-Benz was the was the last word in luxury in the Indian market. Mercedes ran without any competition in India for years before BMW joined the game in 2006 and Audi a year later. Still, even in this day and age, cars from Mercedes are often perceived as the most prestigious. In 2009 Mercedes opened their CKD assembly plant in Chakan outside Pune. 2014 was a particularly good year for the brand with sales crossing the ten thousand mark for the first time.

1998

2001 Ment pelitat endaestotas il minctin vernam iderum rernat ut et aut pedi destia volut aut dunt que sitiusam

India’s First Expressway CNG buses/rickshaws introduced in Delhi

n 1990 the Government of Maharashtra asked RITES (Rail India Technical and Economic Service) and Scott Wilson Kirkpatrick to conduct a feasibility study for a new expressway between Mumbai the financial capital of India to Pune, a big educational and industrial hub. Seven long years later, the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation was given the order for construction of the expressway and on the January 1, 1998 work orders were given to four contractors to start work on the Expressway. The main purpose of this expressway was to bring about an economical benefit to the two cities by reducing travel time between them. And that it did. Traffic snarls and slow moving jams were a regular occurrence on the old road but when the expressway finally opened travel time was cut down by more than half. With the route now created for these two cities to connect, more opportunities were created for the people to commute between the cities to make a living. The expressway also created faster connections to other cities south of Pune like Satara, and Kolhapur. The new sixlane concrete expressway cut through the mountains which made it both a scenic route and also enjoyable for the driving enthusiast. It also had the effect of drastically reducing traffic on the old road which today has become an enjoyable route for motorcyclists who aren’t allowed on the expressway. The Mumbai- Pune expressway is so easily one of our favourite

elhi is one of India’s most populous cities, both of the human and automotive kind. It is also infamous for its massive pollution levels that are a cause of many health issues. The culprits of course were the vehicles, a lot of them poorly maintained while the low fuel quality wasn’t of much help either. In 1995 a lawyer filed a Public Interest Litigation in the Supreme Court Of India to highlight the health risks caused by emissions from vehicles. As a result, the Supreme Court directed the Government to take appropriate steps and set a deadline of April 2001 to convert buses to run on CNG. The directive also asked the government to increase the number of filling stations and provide incentives for conversion to CNG. Bus fleet owners were given the chance to either replace the ageing engines, fit a CNG kit or buy a brand new CNG bus. Many opted for acquiring new buses.The directive also required rickshaw owners to opt for the greener fuel. As time progressed the benefits of adopting CNG to fuel public transports paid huge dividends. Pollution levels fell, the air quality rose and the operational costs of buses and trucks also dropped as CNG is relatively cheaper to conventional fuel.Another positive was that the CNG fuelling infrastructure grew vastly which convinced a lot of poeple to convert their cars to run on CNG as well. 41

2009 Tata launches the Nano

he Tata Nano was heralded as the car which would change the way India travelled. Billed as the common mans car, the car was the brainchild of the then chairman of the Tata group, Ratan Tata. He envisioned getting the common man and his family off a two wheeler into the safety and convenience of an affordable car. So, the chairman instructed the head honchos of his group’s automotive arm, Tata Motors, to develop a car that offers decent space, a frugal engine, safety and reliability, all at a starting price of one lakh rupees. Sadly it was an uphill task all the way with issues with the original plant that was to be at Singur that delayed the project. Constantly rising costs, partly down to the delay made it all the more challenging for Tata to stick to the promised price The Tata Nano was launched on march 23, 2009 in front of an ecstatic crowd in Mumbai by Ratan Tata who drove the Nano onto the stage. He appreciated and thanked his employees for achieving the goal and said, “We have made a promise and we have kept that promise” as he declared the price of the base Nano at Rs one lakh (ex-factory). The car could be booked by paying a sum of Rs.2,999 upfront at any of State Bank of India’s branches across 850 cities. It was received quite well, with Tata looking at a huge order book to complete even before production shifted to Gujarat. But issues with image and some stray cases of cars catching fire sadly meant that the Nano never became the sales superstar Tata hoped it would be. While the original car was quite spartan, constant updates over the years have resulted in a cheerful car that is very at home within the city limits.

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2010

Hero Honda split

ero Honda was perhaps one of the most fruitful relationship in the the history of automotive industry. From a company that originated in the bicycle business in the 1950s to tying up with a Japanese giant in 1983 and becoming the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest motorcycle manufacturer in 2001, the company came a very long way. But in late 2010 the dream was to end with Hero and Honda splitting ways in a phased manner. Honda would begin its fight for the Indian market at HMSI or Honda Motorcycles and Scooters Limited while Hero would continue to protect itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s huge market share of nearly 50 per cent as Hero MotoCorp. In the past four years, Honda has established itself as the master of scooters, a segment that is growing enormously in India while Hero continues to be king of the small capacity commuter segment. But there is a clear difference in the direction the two companies are heading in. While Honda appears to be focussing on safe, mass market products for now Hero is heading into the unknown. The tie up with Erik Buell Racing gives them a wealth of sportbike RnD and the first all new product of this tie up will be the upcoming HX 250R due this year. It would appear that Hero will naturally continue to profit from itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s massive dealership network and traditional customer base but we might also see a parallel line of sporty and often quirky machines that will result from the EBR purchase. Either way the next decade will witness a fascinating battle for supremacy between these two giants.

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2010

India becomes Asiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s third largest exporter of cars

ver the past decade, it quickly became apparent that India presented itself as a profitable base for producing cars not only for the local market but also for the world. India has a strong engineering base with an expertise in manufacturing low cost, fuel efficient cars. Coupled to that, relatively cheap labour makes it feasible to produce vehicles for both domestic and international markets. Also, it became easy to source quality parts that were built to specification from Indian vendors as globalisation gave access to world class manufacturing technologies. Hyundai Motor India Limited who began exporting their Santro to Nepal in 1999 is currently the largest vehicle exporter in India. It now exports almost its entire line-up to markets including Europe. Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s market leader Maruti-Suzuki, Nissan and also Ford are major exporters. By 2009 India overtook China as the fourth largest exporter of cars and just a year later surpassed Thailand to move to number three. Two-wheelers are also exported by both native and international manufacturers. From Bajaj Auto to Yamaha, most major motorcycle manufacturers export bikes that are made in India. Last year we exported nearly four times more bikes than cars. As per the stats that are released by the Society Of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), India exported 5,93,507 passenger vehicles as well as 20,83,938 two wheelers in FY 2013-14. Include commercial vehicles and three wheelers and the total exports for the year stands at 31,07,893 units. That is a huge leap from 15,30,594 units in FY 2008-2009. At this growth rate, India is steadily catching up with Japan and South Korea who occupy the top two spots.

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ARVIND MOTORS Established in: 1954 | Location: Mangalore

he year in which TELCO inaugurated an era of automotive revolution across India. Down south, it was Arvind Motors who created a pioneering impact by launching the dealership of vehicles manufactured by TELCO. Shree Aroor Sripathi Rao was the guiding spirit behind Arvind Motors which came into existence with its dealership of Telco in 1954. His skills of enterprise supported by visionary perspective blazed a pioneering trail in the automotive field in his hometown of Mangalore. The credit for the sustained development of the organization and building up of its sales and service units goes to its founder who has steered the firm to echelons of merit through his sound business acumen, flair for organization and meticulous attention to detail. Arvind Motors is fond of its close association with Tata Motors for the last 60 years and expresses its high appreciation and gratitude to Tata Motors on this joyous occasion.Tem. Qui ducimus a dendamustet as aut qui doluptam et, nos alia doloreriam vendae lacerissitae post exerae nus renim eius si si doleste quame il in porem. Qui bla dem eveligent quis moluptatur autatinvel im ea el magnatur aut facid eniasped minverro voluptate non pe

1 Founders Photograph 2 Arvind Motors in Mangalore then in 1954 3 Arvind Motors, Workshop, Peenya, Bangalore 4 Arvind Motors, Balmatta Road, Mangalore

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Founder: Late A. Sripathi Rao Presently Managed by: A. Kishore Rao, A. Ashok Rao, A. Sanjay Rao and A. Arjun Rao Brands managed: TATA Motors Ltd., Bajaj Auto Ltd., Maruti Suzuki India Ltd.

AUSTIN DISTRIBUTORS

Established in: 1938 | Location: West Bengal

ustin was founded in the year 1938 and today is one of the pioneer companies in the Automobile business not only in Kolkata but also in India. Austin was the agent for British Leyland UK for their Austin range of cars. The Company was a premier selling house and the number of Austin Cars on the roads of India are found till today testify the company’s selling position and popularity of Austin Vehicles. Apart from cars Austin also handled the distribution of light Commercial Vehicles manufactured by their UK Principles and a host of other products including two wheelers of reputed companies. Late R.P. Patodia was the first to introduce HM Ambassador Cars in Kolkata and the keys of the first car was handed over to Late Dr. B.C. Roy – C.M. of West Bengal. Once the Govt. of India stopped imports of vehicles the company quickly identified a number of new Indian products under the able ownership of our founder and stepped in the market once again with fanfare. Austin was associated with the introduction of Indian Two wheelers in the market at that time and helped to set up a unbeatable marketing chain in the Eastern region distributing Enfield Motorcycles. Austin group today handles a host of

brands like Hyundai 3S facility on EM Bypass (Austin Hyundai), Fiat at Chowringhee (Austin Fiat), HMSI 3S facility at Howrah (Aradhana Honda) & Royal Enfield at Chowringhee (Austin Enfield). We continued adding new products to the existing portfolio. We are one of the largest automobiles dealers in Eastern India and have received acclaim from far and wide, and continued to maintain and improve the market share and strength by adding new dealerships. Austin is now setting up a State of the Art Auto Mall at Rajarhat with a built up area of 1,50,000 Sq.Ft. which under construction.

Founder: Late R.P.Patodia Presently Managed by: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX Brands managed: Royal Enfield, Hyundai, Fiat, Ambassador

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AUTO CENTRE

Established in: 1960 | Location: Kolkata

uto Centre was a family partnership firm floated in 1960 who took over the dealership of Bajaj Auto. Today, Auto Centre is the longest serving dealership of Bajaj Auto in the country. The group holds dealerships for North Kolkata (2/Wheelers), Kolkata (3/Wheelers) and Guwahati (2/ Wheelers). The group also holds dealerships for Tata Motors (PCBU, CVBU & JLR) and Renault India (Passenger cars). The group clocks in excess of Rs. 1000 crores as its turnover. In the early years, Auto Centre handled the whole of eastern India including parts of Bihar and Tripura. Assam region was awarded to the group in 1973. The group has thrived on its performance and has earned several accolades and medals. The 50th year celebrations of the group were presided over by none other than Mr. Rahul Bajaj, Chairman, Bajaj Auto. However, Mr. Vinay Nevatia, the founder of Auto Centre is recognized in the industry and particularly in eastern India as the torch bearer of FADA and the Motor Industries Association of Kolkata. Mr. Nevatia also works as an active Rotarian and has been closely associated with Garments Manufacturersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Association, Engineering Export Promotion Council (FICCI) and Federation of Indian Chambers of

Commerce & Industry (FICCI).

Founder: Vinay Nevatia Presently Managed by: Vinay Nevatia Brands managed: Bajaj Auto, Tata Motors, Renault India

COMMERCIAL AUTO SALES GROUP

Established in: 1956 | Location: Lucknow

he journey of our dealership generally recognized as the “Auto Sales” group began almost since the inception of the automobile manufacturing in India post Independence. Inagurated in 1956 by the then Managing Director of Tata Engineering & locomotive Company Ltd. (TELCO), the group’s first dealership was in the name of Motor & General Sales at Lucknow. Subsequently the group with the increase in sales forayed into newer territories and opened two more branches at Allahabad and Kanpur under the name & style of M/S Auto Sales and M/S Kailash Motors in 1958. After mutual agreements and division of territories, the Allahabad dealership was rechristened as M/S Commercial Auto Sales (P) Ltd. under the control of Mr. Brij Mohan Gupta in 1979. The present incumbent Mr. Sanskar Gupta belongs to the third generation of the “Lala Devi Chand” group of companies and has established itself as one of the most prestigious Tata Motors dealership of Northern India. The extended family of the group has Tata dealerships in large parts of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh and is proud of its association with the TATA group.

Founder: XXXXXXXXXX Presently Managed by: Sanskar Gupta Brands managed: Royal Enfield, Hyundai, Fiat, Ambassador

KHIVRAJ HINDUSTAN MOTORS & ESCORTS LTD Established in: 1961 | Location: Chennai

glorious 5 decades plus long journey of the Khivraj Group started with the humble step when the group envisaged and took up the dealership of Hindustan Motors dealing in the erstwhile Ambassador brand of cars on the demography of Chennai. This can be very well acknowledged as one of the very bold step of taking up the dealership route of operation in to the very renowned brand of automobile in a traditional cityscape that Chennai was used to be in those days. Khivraj made its bold footprint on the map of Chennai with its flagship brand Khivraj starting operation of vehicles manufactured by the Hindustan & Escorts Ltd. With the passage of time and new brands entering, in to the Country, the operations were gradually but very positively brought to an end only to take much larger leap and to be a contributor to the ever growing Automobile industry of the country with much bigger national and international brands. Khivraj Bajaj 2 Wheeler & 3 Wheeler: - (1965) Under the able stewardship and business acumen of the founder, Shri Khivraj Chordia, the group forayed in to the venture with the Bajaj as early as 5 decades back. Khivraj as a group has always been an active participant in supporting and promoting any good Indian

brand. When Bajaj started its operations with the Automobile division manufacturing 2 wheelers and 3 wheelers – Khivraj as a group took up this venture in Chennai and promoted the product line like no other dealership could envisage of. Its bold decision to venture in to with a new brand like Bajaj 5 decades ago, by itself stands as a testimony of the forecasting and business acumen of the founder who knew that this venture is a long term relationship for a fruitful and harmonious business venture which it is even till date and for many years to come by. As we stand today, Khivraj is operational in multi location dealership in Chennai with various divisions operating across different pockets of Chennai retailing and servicing thousands of Bajaj Vehicles across various limits of Sales-Service-SparesAccessories. The ability, spread and magnanimity of Khivraj groups venture as far as 3 wheeler of Bajaj is concerned can be assessed by the fact that in an Auto-Rickshaw populated city like Chennai over the last 5 decades, Khivraj is the only representative of Bajaj 3 Wheelers for over many years now and with Bajaj having over 95 % market share virtually, out of every 100 auto rickshaws plying on the roads in Chennai – 95 are from Bajaj and all 95 are sold by only

Founder: Vinay Nevatia Presently Managed by: Vinay Nevatia Brands managed: Bajaj Auto, Tata Motors, Renault India

M.G. MOTORS

Established in: 1956 | Location: Lucknow

.G. Motors (“MGM”) is a partnership firm registered in 1981 to carry on the business of Commercial Vehicle Distribution (Full Range) for Tata Motors Limited. Late Mr. Amrit Kumar Sanghi is the patriarch of MGM and of the A.K. Sanghi Group. The A.K. Sanghi group has a longer association with the business of Commercial Vehicle Distribution for TML, which had started from M/s Supreme Motors Ltd in 1954 for the Delhi region. Mr. Ajay Sanghi (Holding a Masters in Business Economics from Delhi University) is the son of Late Mr. A.K Sanghi and is the Managing Partner of the firm with over 30 years of commercial vehicle distribution & sale experience. He has now recently been joined by his two sons Mr. Abhyudaya Sanghi (Holding a Bachelors in Business Administartion from Delhi) and Mr. Abhinav Sanghi (who holds a Masters in Law from Columbia University NY), They represent the fourth generation in the Sanghi family legacy to assist him in the business of automobiles. Together they are responsible for the leadership, strategic planning, management and operation of the firm. The firm enjoys high customer confidence

due to its ethical and honest practices. The core values of the orgnaisation have proved to be the primary drivers in achieving service excellence and setting benchmarks. The role the MGM team extends beyond servicing only the product, the focus is on building long term relationships and ensuring a continuous value add for the customer. MG Motors has emerged as the largest and the most preferred dealer in the State of Haryana for Commercial Vehicles with Four 3S facilities and over Twelve Sales Outlets. The Core Purpose of our work is ‘To Achieve Excellence Rooted in Values’. “Excellence for us is to strive relentlessly; constantly improve ourselves; our processes, teams, services and products. We will become the benchmark in customer satisfaction, employee development and a model of sustainable growth” Beginnings The Sanghi Group had an extremely humble beginning. In the early 1920’s, a young gentleman, Motilal Ghanshyamdas Sanghi from Jodhpur, a small town, started a general merchandise shop on a loan of five thousand rupees. Driven by a burning desire to be successful, he soon became the largest retailer in the state of Jodhpur. Seth Motilal Sanghi, as he affectionately came to be known, then went

Founder: XXXXXXXXXX Presently Managed by: Sanskar Gupta Brands managed: Royal Enfield, Hyundai, Fiat, Ambassador

NARIAN AUTOMOBILES Established in: 1935 | Location: Lucknow

e are a fourth generation automobile dealership, established by my grandfather, Late Sri Krishna Narain. He shifted from Faizabad to Lucknow in the year 1934 and established M/s United Provinces Motor Co. in the year 1935, with the franchise for General Motors, with products like Buick, Lasalle, Cadillac, Pontiac and Chevrolet, for the state of Uttar Pradesh. We then got the dealership for Austin Motor Car Co. of U.K., in the year 1937, also for the State of Uttar Pradesh. In those years, all these vehicles were imported from the USA & UK in CKD (completely knocked down) condition and then assembled at their respective facilities in Mumbai or in CBU (completely built units). From there, they were driven down to the respective dealerships. In the year 1942, we got the dealership for FIAT, of Italy and Studebaker. We also purchased new vehicles of other makes like Mercedes, Rolls Royce and many others. In those days, it was mostly the zamidars, talukedars and other royal families, who could afford to buy cars and they were our main customers. It was probably in the year 1943, my grandfather was travelling by ship from New York and returning to India. During the cruise,

he met the Late Mr. J. C. Mahindra and they got talking. My grandfather learnt that Mr. J. C. Mahindra was returning from the US after finalizing the collaboration with Kaiser Inc., for the assembly/ manufacture of the iconic ‘Jeep’ vehicles in India. When he learnt that my grandfather was a dealer in Uttar Pradesh for various automobiles, he offered him the dealership for Mahindra vehicles in Uttar Pradesh, when they start operations in India. My grandfather promptly gave his consent and said, that he would be proud to deal in vehicles manufactured in India by an Indian. Therefore, ours was probably the first dealership of M/s Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. in the country, under the dealership name of Narain Automobiles, which was run by the three sons of Late Shri Krishna Narain, Late Shri Anand Narain, Late Shri Gopal Narain and Shri Vinod Narain. In the year 1962, my grandfather came upon the idea to manufacture small and cheap cars for the Indian market, and chose Daf of Holland, as the best choice. We imported some Daf cars and took a vehicle to show to our then Prime Minister, Late Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, with a proposal. Mr. Nehru liked the car and said that he would respond. The very next day, he called my grandfather, regretting his inability

Founder: Late Sri Krishna Narain Presently Managed by: Rajeev Narain, Mudit Narain. Raghav Narain Brands managed: General Motors, Austin Motor, FIAT, Mahnidra & Mahindra

PANDIT AUTOMOTIVE

Established in: 1956 | Location: Pune

ur founder Late Mr. R.H Pandit first started a small car repairing garage in Malabar Hill in Mumbai under the name “Malabar Motors” in 1940. Thereafter with newer opportunities beckoning in Pune,a Caterpillar/Larsen and Toubro tractor spares shop called Ram Agencies was established in Pune in 1952. In 1956, our founder replied to an Ad in the newspaper which declared the requirement of a sub dealer for TATA MERCEDES trucks in Pune region.The successful application resulted in Pandit Automotive being named as the sub dealer for Bombay dealers DADAJI DHAKJEE and Co. for Pune region. In 1961,we successfully graduated to being a full-fledged dealer for TELCO as it was then called, for Pune Region. Soon in late 60s and early 70s the dealership started expanding to Satara and Sangli regions of Maharashtra The impeccable service levels given to truck owners in those days led to people from far flung places of Maharashtra coming to PANDIT AUTO to buy and service their TATA TRUCKS. Thus “Brand Pandit” started to symbolize trust, commitment to customers and highly efficient service levels.Even the great J.R.D TATA was wholesome in his praise of our commitment and social outlook.

The later part of the 20th century saw a general slowdown in the Indian economy due to the slowing of industrialization and license Raj. Even in these tough times, Pandit Automotive didn’t flinch when other competitors were shutting down their operations. We stuck with TATA Motors and our esteemed customers through the tough periods and thus came the new dawn of the post liberalization era. In the 90s TATA MOTORS launched a slew of new products such as SUMO, SAFARI, and the legendary INDICA in the passenger car segment and PANDIT AUTOMOTIVE quickly adapted itself in this new line of business. Today we are the largest dealer for Tata Motors in India with sales exceeding 25000 vehicles per year and service volumes of 1.25 lac vehicles per year. Pandit Automotive enjoys tremendous goodwill and brand recognition due to the exemplary service provided with utmost commitment to customer satisfaction. Customers trust us completely because we have always done business ethically,uprightly and with full sincerety.

Founder: Late Mr R. H. Pandit Presently Managed by: V. S Gokhale Brands managed: TATA Motors, FIAT-Chrysler

UNITED MOTORS OF RAJASTHAN Established in: XXXX | Location: Jodhpur

riginating from the princely town of Jodhpur, the capital of Marwar, the Sanghi family had a very humble beginning. A young gentleman, Motilal Sanghi, started a general merchandise shop after taking a loan of five thousand rupees and soon became the largest retailer in the State of Jodhpur. Passionate for cars, he decided to step into a territory, no one else in India had dreamt of, and laid the foundations for one of the first and largest automobile dealership empire in the sub-continent. During the British days in India, the only buyers of cars were the Maharajas and the Princes of the Royal States. Motilal not only established strong personal relations with these potential buyers, but also obtained dealerships from General Motors, USA and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, England. He also began to sell a new car produced by Sir Herbert Austin in England called the Austin Seven. By the 1940â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, Seth Motilal Sanghi, as he had come to be known by then, had established a vast network for the sales, service and spare parts of cars. His network was spread over Jodhpur, Jaipur, Udaipur, Kota, Ajmer, Bikaner, Mt. Abu, Indore and Delhi. Legend has it that once Seth Motilal Sanghi offered seven cars to the His Highness of Bikaner who seemingly wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t too keen

1 Seth Motilalji Sanghi 2 Sanghi Brothers showroom in Jodhpur (ca. 1940) 3 Wiley Jeeps being displayed at Sanghi Motors 4 Sanghi Brothers Workshop in Jodhpur

on buying them. When the king refused to accept the cars, Seth Motilalji refused to take themback and said that he had only one option - to burn the cars, as they were meant for his highness and hence unusable for his subjects. As the bemused Highness watched on, one car was set ablaze. Touched by the gesture, he immediately stopped Seth Sanghi and paid for all seven cars. The sources of this tale are questionable, but its spirit has lived on. He was joined by his brothers in the business of automobiles, and today the Sanghi brand is a resounding name in the automobile industry. Evolving from the early General Motors to Mercedes, from Hindustan Motors to Maruti, today, Sanghis have their presence in Maharashtra, Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh through brands like Maruti, Tata, Fiat, Volkswagen, BMW, Mahindra, JCB, Hindustan Motors, Mercedes and many more. Seth Motilal Sanghi also diversified into the then nascent cinema business and profitably operated over ten movie theatres in North India. The legacy of Seth Motilal Sanghi was nurtured by his eldest son, Narendra Kumar Sanghi, who remained an active member of the Indian Parliament for over sixteen years. Some of the oldest businesses like cinemas and petrol pumps are still run by the family in

Founder: Seth Motilalji Sanghi Presently Managed by: XXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXX Brands managed: Maruti, Tata, Fiat, Volkswagen, BMW, Mahindra, JCB, Hindustan Motors, Mercedes

VST MOTORS

Established in: 1949 | Location: Chennai

rust and innovation - values that have lit the way for the VST Group for a 100 years now. From simple beginnings supplying kerosene in the Bangalore Cantonment in 1911, the VST Group has expanded into 7 sectors, from automobile dealerships to manufacturing. Today, it is a Rs. 3000 crore group serving more than 5,000 customers every day. The VST Group is active in seven diverse sectors: • Petroleum Retail • Construction • Automobile Dealerships • Auto Parts Distribution • Finance • Manufacturing • Exports Each of the businesses are run as independent franchises and headed by a managing partner. Professional CEO’s and Business heads manage the daily operations with the directors giving guidance on strategic and investment decisions. The fourth generation of the VST family is now at the helm of the business enterprise. By combining the numerous automobile dealerships with a well run NBFC (Gove Investment and Finance Ltd), along with automobile parts and lubricant distribution

business (VST Auto Parts Pvt. Ltd) the VST Group is well positioned to further grow their interests in the automotive industry and serve their customers in South India in the decades to come.

Founder: V S Thiruvengadaswamy Mudaliar Presently Managed by: Arun V. Surendra Brands managed: Austin, Studebaker, Mahindra & Mahindra, Tata Motors, Ford, Bajaj motorcycles, Honda motorcycles, Volkswagen, Jaguar Land Rover, Mercedes Benz, Ducati Motorcycles

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Established in: XXXX | Location: XXXXXXXX

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