In a heartfelt tribute to a man who helped transform India’s automotive landscape, the Government of India has posthumously awarded the Padma Vibhushan to Osamu Suzuki, the former Chairman of Suzuki Motor Corporation and Honorary Chairman of Maruti Suzuki India. The honour was conferred by President Droupadi Murmu at a formal ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on April 28, 2025.
Accepting the award on his behalf was his son, Toshihiro Suzuki, who currently serves as the President and Representative Director of Suzuki Motor Corporation. In his emotional address, Toshihiro said he was honoured to receive this recognition for his father, who spent over four decades nurturing Suzuki’s bond with India, a country he fondly considered his “second home”.
“This award belongs to all Suzuki and Maruti Suzuki employees and business partners who’ve walked this journey with us,” Toshihiro added.
Osamu Suzuki’s legacy in India
Osamu Suzuki, who passed away in December 2024, left behind a legacy few in the automotive world can match. At a time when most global manufacturers hesitated to enter the Indian market, Suzuki saw opportunity. In 1982, he bet an entire year’s profit of Suzuki Motor Corporation on a collaboration with the Indian government’s newly-formed Maruti Udyog Ltd. That bold move gave rise to the Maruti 800 in 1983 — a car that changed the face of personal mobility in India.
Under his guidance, Maruti Suzuki went from manufacturing 1 lakh vehicles a year in its early days to achieving an annual output of 2 million units by 2024. The company crossed a cumulative production milestone of 30 million vehicles and today, contributes to 43% of all passenger vehicle exports from India. Its export journey, which began in the 1980s, has now exceeded 3 million units cumulatively.
Born on January 30, 1930, and educated in law from Chuo University, Osamu Suzuki joined Suzuki Motor Corporation in 1958. Known for his frugal mindset and long-term vision, he steered the company through some of its most challenging periods, including emission regulation pressures in the 1970s. His strategic alliances — from Toyota in Japan to General Motors globally — helped Suzuki become a truly international brand.
Over the years, he received multiple awards including Japan’s Medal with Blue Ribbon (1987), the Order of the Rising Sun (2000), and a place in the Japan Automobile Hall of Fame (2002). India had earlier honoured him with the Padma Bhushan in 2007.
