Only affordable mobility can break the cycle of poverty and ensure sustained economic and social growth in India.
Driven By Passion
Mr. Jagdish Khattar was born in Dera Ismail Khan, British India on 18 December, 1942.
Mr. Khattar lived an illustrious, dynamic and fulfilling life. In the many remarkable chapters of his career, he was an inspiring and thoroughly successful leader, a celebrated bureaucrat, a zealous reformer and a passionate innovator.
He joined the highly prestigious Indian Administrative Services in 1969 before finally bidding adieu in 1993 after a rich experience of over 26 years. During this period, he was at the helm of several high level posts such as Chairman and Managing Director of UP State Cement Corporation, Chairman of UP State Road Transport Corporation and Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Steel in Government of India.
After serving his country in the IAS for 37 years through many transformative assignments, Mr. Khattar established himself as a stalwart of the automotive industry in his celebrated tenure leading Maruti Suzuki. He is credited for the magical turnaround of Maruti Suzuki.
Two-wheelers are not a dream for the bulk of rural India… Two wheels are.
The principles of his leadership were universal, and earned him respect and admiration from leaders across corporate India. He was a diligent worker and a silent achiever, who never turned away from a challenge no matter how formidable, and always carried out every assignment presented to him with clarity, conviction, discipline and determination.
“Two-wheelers are not a dream for the bulk of rural India… Two wheels are. If we had not ignored the mobility needs of these 32 million people, the face of rural area would have been different today,” Mr. Khattar believed. He was passionate about initiatives to increase the penetration of bicycles as they are the most affordable form of transport. He was part of several foundations involved in distribution of bicycles to under-privileged children.
He was also actively working with various government departments to build infrastructure and policies to promote the use of bicycles across the country. A 75 kilometre-long bicycle-track connecting the whole of Delhi city was one of his pet projects.
A loving father, son, husband, grandfather, brother, uncle and an exceptional professional, he passed away peacefully on the morning of April 26, 2021.
A Visionary Mentor
