Bajaj@100: “The next 100 years of Bajaj will be about building ecosystems“
Left to Right – Shekhar Bajaj, Chairman & MD, Bajaj Electricals Limited; Nirav Bajaj, CEO & MD, Bajaj Integrated Health System; Rajiv Bajaj, MD, Bajaj Auto; Niraj Bajaj, Chairman Bajaj Auto & CMD Mukund Limited; Sanjiv Bajaj, CMD, Bajaj Finserv Limited during the 100 year celebrations and Bajaj at 100 logo unveiling.
| Photo Credit:
Lalatendu Mishra
The Bajaj Group, one of India’s largest conglomerates with market cap of US$ 148 billion, founded during the freedom struggle in 1926 on Monday celebrated it’s centenary year amidst the presence of Bajaj family members and other dignitaries.
Having started in Mumbai (then Bombay) by Jamnalal Bajaj, a freedom fighter, social reformer, philanthropist, industrialist and considered the fifth adopted son of Mahatma Gandhi, the group now serves 1 in 3 Indian households across automobiles, financial services, consumer electricals and engineering. Bajaj motorcycles are sold at over 100 counties and the group has now over 100 companies under its fold.
Speaking at a grand function organised at Mumbai’s National Sports Club of India, Rajiv Bajaj, Managing Director Bajaj Auto said Bajaj Auto besides being one of India’s largest two-wheeler companies, is among the top three globally. “Today’s India does not only participate, but it also competes in the global economy,” he affairmed.
“What we say and what we do must always be the same. And perhaps that is why the Bajaj journey did not become just a story of growth. It became a story of trust,” he said.
“The Pulsar brand today stands with global players, not behind them. And when we partnered with KTM, an iconic Austrian motorcycle company —it was not just a business deal. This shows that an Indian company is not just a follower, it is a co-creator of global brands. It also proves that legacy and innovation can walk together,” he emphasized.
Sanjiv Bajaj, Chairman & Managing Director, Bajaj Finserv, in his address themed ‘India and the Next 100’ said the next chapter of India’s rise will be written by technology and innovation, and most importantly by the youth.
“My father Rahul Bajaj would often say – I firmly believe in the ‘Idea of India’ , in our country’s diversity and in its enterprising youth. At Bajaj, we don’t see AI only as a technology trend. We see it as a powerful force that will further financial inclusion,” he said.
“Because access to finance actually means access to opportunity. For over a century, we have viewed our businesses through this same lens: as platforms built to offer hope, freedom, and entrepreneurship. We believe that when potential is given a stage, the entire country moves forward,” he stated.
Nirav Bajaj, CEO, Bajaj Integrated Health System said if the first 100 years of Bajaj were about building institutions, the next 100 will be about building ecosystems.
“Jamnalalji believed that business was not separate from society. He said business should be pursued with a view to benefit the poor. Within the family, we often say that society must profit from profit itself. That has meant ensuring that growth reaches even the poorest of the poor,” he said.
“Bajaj Beyond, our CSR initiative, is the next expression of a 100-year philosophy. An effort to take everything we have learned and build models that can scale across India. Across education, livelihoods and sustainability, with a clear ambition to enable and impact over 2 crore young Indians in the next five years,” he said.
In his address Niraj Bajaj, Chairman, Bajaj Auto said The story of Bajaj and the story of India have never really been separate.
“India’s journey towards self-reliance did not begin recently. It began nearly a century ago — when visionary Indians believed that
Bharat must build for itself, produce for itself, and stand on its own feet. One of those pioneers was Jamnalalji — our founder. His philosophy of ‘common good over individual gain’ shaped our decisions across generations,” he said.
“His spouse, Jankideviji Bajaj, was India’s first lady recipient of the Padma Vibhushan. Jamnalalji’s philosophy was taken forward successfully by his sons Kamalnayan Bajaj and Ramkrishna Bajaj, both brought up under the eye of Mahatma Gandhi, during their formative years. Thereafter, Rahul Bajaj, a giant among corporate leaders, established a result oriented yet human, ambitious yet honest, organization. As industries grew and capabilities expanded, one thought remained constant: Build in India. Build for India. And build India,” he emphasized.
Shekhar Bajaj, Chairman & Managing Director, Bajaj Electricals said, “Jamnalalji’s work spanned social equity, education for women and children, rural upliftment, promotion of khadi, abolition of purdah, dowry, child marriage and whole-hearted participation in the freedom movement. Should success be measured only in numbers and scale? Or in lives touched, values upheld, and communities strengthened. As we step into the next 100 years of Bajaj perhaps the answer to that question will define the institution we continue to build.”
Some of its listed companies include Bajaj Auto, Bajaj Finserv, Bajaj Holdings & Investment, Bajaj Finance, Bajaj Housing Finance, Bajaj Electricals and Mukand.
Over the years Bajaj Group’s social impact efforts, focused on youth skilling and employment, child health, education and protection, have positively impacted the lives of over 10 million beneficiaries.
The evening traced the family’s journey, from its role in India’s freedom struggle, through the shift from trading to manufacturing and financial services, to new-age technologies that its businesses lead today.
Highlights included addresses by the Bajaj family, a specially composed live performance by Grammy award winner and globally acclaimed composer Ricky Kej and his troupe, the screening of ‘Kathni Karni Eksi’, a film on Jamnalal Bajaj and Mahatma Gandhi, directed by Rajkumar Hirani, and the unveiling of the ‘100 years of Bajaj’ logo.
