Jamnalal Bajaj, treated by Mahatma Gandhi as his fifth son, is remembered for his immense contribution to Indian Independence struggle. In post-Independence era, his grandson ‘Padma Bhushan’ Rahul Bajaj carried forward his legacy of commitment to national cause in business, social work, and philanthropy. Both, Jamnalal Bajaj and Rahul Bajaj, shared a close bond with the city of Nagpur. As the news of passing away of Rahul Bajaj, an icon of Indian industry in post-Independence era, hit Nagpur city and Vidarbha region, many felt that they had lost someone from the family. So close was his connect with the region. He had been generous to Nagpur as well as to Wardha. Whenever he visited Nagpur, where his daughter Sunaina Kejriwal and other members of Bajaj family live, he always made it a point to have lunch or dinner with them. Apart from being a highly successful and acclaimed businessman, he was a socially sensitive man.

 

A great conversationalist as he was, during his visits to the city he would take a keen interest in how Nagpur’s development story was getting scripted. Nagpur, which has the famous Bajaj Nagar area named after late Jamnalal Bajaj, also saw Rahul Bajaj making generous donations -- some known, some unknown -- to various causes, institutions, and for infrastructure development. It was because of his initiative that Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University (RTMNU) got its new Administrative Building named after late Jamnalal Bajaj. Rahul Bajaj had attended the bhoomipujan ceremony held in presence of Devendra Fadnavis, the then Chief Minister; Chandrashekhar Bawankule, then Guardian Minister of district; Dr S P Kane, then Vice-Chancellor of RTMNU, and other dignitaries on September 26, 2015.

 

He followed up the progress of the work. Bajaj donated Rs 12 crore for the building. Anoop Kumar, then Divisional Commissioner, who was holding additional charge as Vice-Chancellor of RTMNU, had approached Bajaj for donation under Corporate Social Responsibility. The huge Administrative Building of RTMNU along Ambazari Road, is a gift of Rahul Bajaj to Nagpur. As is known, Rahul Bajaj was an effective speaker too. In December 2012, Rotary Club of Nagpur had organised his lecture on ‘Indian economy in the changing world’. That time, he had stressed upon the need for enriching the youth of the country. Else, he had warned, the demographic dividend might turn into a demographic disaster. Expressing his firm belief in the ‘Idea of India’, he felt that, the conditions were conducive for growth of Indian economy if right things were done. Rahul Bajaj continued his close ties with Nagpur, through Shiksha Mandal, Wardha, which runs G S College of Commerce and Economics in the city.

 

Also, he maintained family ties with veteran Gandhian Justice Chandrashekhar Dharmadhikari. In January 2019, when Justice Chandrashekhar Dharmadhikari passed away, Rahul Bajaj made it a point to attend the funeral. During the visit of Rahul Bajaj, the Chairman of Bajaj Group then, to Sarvodaya Ashram along Amravati Road where Justice Dharmadhikari’s mortal remains were kept for public to pay their last respects to, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) office-bearer Rajesh Loya, Mahanagar Sanghchalak, invited him to visit RSS headquarters in Mahal. Later that year, on September 15, Rahul Bajaj visited Smruti Mandir premises in Reshimbagh and paid tributes to Dr K B Hedgewar, RSS founder, and M S Golwalkar Guruji. His visit came on the sidelines of his visit to Wardha, where he graced the function to mark the inauguration of Bajaj Institute of Technology, started by Shiksha Mandal. Rahul Bajaj also had an interaction with RSS functionaries. Meanwhile, as the news of demise of Rahul Bajaj hit the city, condolences from who’s who of the city came in. Nitin Gadkari Rahul Bajaj, former Chairman of Bajaj Group, was a successful industrialist, social worker and a multifaceted personality. “His contribution to the Indian industry is immense. In recognition of his services, he was honoured with Padma Bhushan.

 

I offer my heartfelt tributes to the wonderful human being,” said Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, who had cordial relations with Bajaj. Dr Nitin Raut Dr Nitin Raut, Guardian Minister, said that the automobile industry in the country had lost its ‘Buland Tasveer’, borrowing the expression from Bajaj Auto’s highly successful campaign ‘Buland Bharat Ki Buland Tasveer, Hamara Bajaj’. “He carried forward the legacy of industrial contribution and social work of his Gandhian grandfather. He stood up and spoke fearlessly, at times, criticising the ruling dispensation. Also, his contribution to realising the dream of common man to own a two-wheeler revolutionised the country’s economy,” said Dr Raut. Devendra Fadnavis Devendra Fadnavis, Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, also condoled the demise of Rahul Bajaj. “In his demise, we have lost a great personality who always wanted to do something for the betterment of society. Apart from losing an iconic industrialist, India has lost a great social worker too,” he said, while offering his tributes to the departed soul. Vijay Darda Rahul Bajaj was an Indian industrial icon respected globally. He was a nationalist who spoke in the interest of the nation and its growth, spoke truth irrespective of personal interest and party in power, stated Vijay Darda, former member of Rajya Sabha and Chairman of Editorial Board of Lokmat Media in his condolence message. “A true legend #RahulBajaj ji. RIP my friend. May God give strength to Rajiv, Sanjiv, Sunaina & the family,” he tweeted.

 

Former Chairman of Bajaj Group and veteran industrialist Rahul Bajaj was closely associated with some of the industrialists and businessmen of the region and used to have interactions with them. He had been to Nagpur on many occasions. His paternal uncle Hargovind Bajaj of city-based Bajaj Steel, told The Hitavada that Rahul Bajaj had come in September 2019 for the last time. “He could not come after that because of the pandemic. However, we had telephonic conversations at regular intervals. In fact, I spoke to him just 8-10 days ago,” said the 94-year-old Hargovind Bajaj who was struggling to control his emotions. Hargovind Bajaj is a cousin brother of Rahul Bajaj’s father - Kamalnayan Bajaj. Whenever he would come to Nagpur, he used to meet Hargovind Bajaj at his residence in Ramdaspeth and have lunch or dinner with the Bajaj family.

 

Rahul Bajaj had often faced questions from regional industrialists and others on investment in Nagpur. But the former Chairman of Bajaj Group would give a very logical reply to them. Former President of VIA Atul Pande remembered one such incident. When some of the regional industrialists had requested him to invest here in Nagpur, Rahul Bajaj had said that, he came from Vidarbha and hence, he wished to see the prosperity of the region. “But the fact is that investment will not come on the basis of sentiments. It has to be based on market conditions and merits,” he explained. President of Vidarbha Industries Association Suresh Rathi recalled Rahul Bajaj’s motivational speech which the veteran industrialist had delivered at one of the events in Nagpur.

 

“I still remember the session organised here by VIA at Hotel Centre Point in Ramdaspeth about 25 years back. He was the keynote speaker of that session wherein Rahul Bajaj had urged the participants to be entrepreneurs,” Rathi said, adding that, the enthusiastic speech by Rahul Bajaj had inspired many industrialists who had attended the event. Rathi further added that, the VIA had been trying hard to invite him as the chief guest of the VIA’s Foundation Day. “It was our dream to invite him but we could not fulfill it,” Rathi said. Though Bajaj Group does not own any industrial unit in Nagpur now, the family had a ginning and pressing mill here in pre-independence era. But in due course of time, the family sold it and their direct investment in Nagpur came to an end. In early 1960s, the Bajaj Group appointed Rajesh Motors as its authorised dealer of Bajaj vehicles in Nagpur. The new showroom opened in Patni Bhawan in Gandhibagh was jointly owned by Patni family members.