Maruti Suzuki ex- MD Jagdish Khattar passes away

New Delhi

Khattar (79), a former bureaucrat, was considered as one of the most high profile leaders of the Indian automotive industry, laying the foundation for Maruti’s future growth after the government began its disinvestment in 2002 and gradually exited from its joint venture with Suzuki Motor Corporation. He had joined the then Maruti Udyog in July 1993 as director (marketing) and went on to become ED (marketing) in the next six years. He was promoted as joint MD in 1999. In 2007, he retired from the top post in the country’s largest carmaker, ensuring it had 50 per cent of the passenger vehicles market in India despite growing global competition.