Sanjay Gandhi founded Maruti Motors Ltd. in 1971 with a goal of producing India's first indigenous car. He learned car manufacturing while interning at Rolls-Royce in the UK. His early prototypes used parts from local shops. Maruti failed to produce cars during his lifetime and the company was dissolved after his death in a 1980 plane crash. In 1981, Maruti Udyog Ltd. was established through efforts of Indira Gandhi and Dr. Krishnamurthy as a joint venture with Suzuki Motors, which had been producing motorcycles and cars in Japan since the 1950s. Initial Maruti models were imported from Suzuki, but local production began in 1983 with the Maruti 800, establishing India

2. Sanjay Gandhi
(1946-1980)
Founder & MD
MARUTI Motors
Ltd.

3.  Mediocre student in school.
Loner,Friendless,&Uncommunicative in
school.
 Maintaining his family’s legacy,
he failed to get a college
degree.

4.  But due to his interest and passion
for car’s he managed to bag a 3 year
internship with Rolls-Royce (RR) in
UK based manufacturing unit.
After learning every thing about
car making he came back to
India with a dream of making
his own car.

5.  Before incorporating Maruti, in 1966,
Sanjay Gandhi got along a few men to
start work on a prototype in a truck
workshop. He made the chassis by
himself at the workshop near Glubai
Bagh in Delhi.
 A few parts were sourced from Jama
Masjid area and Triumph motorcycle
engine was used to propel the car.

7. The first
Prototype car
made by
Sanjay Gandhi

8.  On 04 June 1971 a company named
Maruti Motors Ltd. was launched by
Sanjay Gandhi and he nominated himself
as MD of Maruti and Sonia Gandhi as the
second Director of Maruti.
 The Mission of this company was to provide
technology for manufacturing a “fully
indigenous motor car”;(basically a car that
was supposed to be 100% Indian in every
way).

9.  In 1971 PM Indira Gandhi
proposed the production of a
‘People’s Car’ which has to be
Cheap
Affordable
Efficient
Indigenous

10.  The 1971 Bangladesh liberation war
and victory over Pakistan muted the
critical voices of Maruti.
 The company did not produces any
vehicle during his lifetime. The test
model put out as a showpiece to
demonstrate progress was criticized.

11.  Sanjay Gandhi contacted Volkawagen
AG for a possible tie-up to jointly
manufacture the Beetle in India.
 In 1974 an opposition led uprising
against the govt. caused widespread
disturbance in the country, affecting
the economy badly. Sanjay’s mother
then declared a National Emergency.

12.  In this time Sanjay Gandhi became the
chief advisor of Indira Gandhi. The congress
party eventually fell
float on its face in 1977 general elections.
 The Maruti project was liquidated in
1977 by the new Janta Dal Govt.
It was resurrected after congress came
back to power in the year 1980.

13.  But it was too late now, while flying a two-
seater aircraft near Delhi’s Safdarjung
Airport, Sanjay decided to perform a loop
over his office lost control and plane
crashed.

15.  Indira Gandhi felt that the project has some
spark, however needed some professional
assistance from a professional
manufacturers.
 A team of geeks visited many manufacturers
across the glob for a possible venture, it was
SUZUKI.

16. Michio Suzuki
(1887–1982)
Founded of
SUZUKI

17.  In Oct. 1909, Michio Suzuki founded the
"Suzuki Loom Manufacturing Company" in
Japan. Business boomed as Suzuki
built weaving looms for Japan's giant silk
industry.
 In 1929, Suzuki invented a new type of
weaving machine, which was exported
overseas. The company's first 30 years
focused on the development and production
of these machines.

19.  Despite the success of his looms, Suzuki
began to look at other products. Based on
consumer demand, he decided that building
a small car would be the most practical new
venture.
 The project began in 1937, and within two
years Suzuki had completed several
compact prototype cars.

20.  With the onset of World War II, production plans
for Suzuki's new vehicles were closed when the
government declared civilian passenger cars a
"non-essential commodity." At the conclusion of
the war, Suzuki went back to producing looms.
 Loom production was given a boost when the U.S.
government approved the shipping of cotton to
Japan. Suzuki's fortunes brightened as orders
began to increase from domestic textile
manufacturers. But the joy was short-lived as the
cotton market collapsed in 1951.

21.  Suzuki returned to the production of motor
vehicles. After the war, the Japanese had a great
need for affordable, reliable personal
transportation.
 Suzuki's first two-wheeled vehicle was a bicycle
fitted with a motor called, the "Power Free."
Designed to be inexpensive and simple to build and
maintain.

22. “1952 Power Free”

23.  By 1954, Suzuki had officially changed its
name to Suzuki Motor Co., Ltd. Following
the success of its first motorcycles, Suzuki
created an even more successful
automobile: the 1955 Suzuki Suzulight.
 The Suzulight sold with front-wheel drive,
four-wheel independent suspension.

24. “1955 Suzuki Suzulight”

25.  By the efforts of Indira Gandhi and Dr. V.
Krishnamurthy a company named Maruti
Udyog Ltd. Was established in Feb. 1981,
though actual vehicle production
commenced only in 1983, in Joint Venture
with Suzuki Motors Japan.
 Dr. Krishnamurthy was appointed as the
Chairman and CEO of the new company
Maruti Udyog Ltd.
In 1981.

26.  The actual production started in 1983 with
the introduction of the Maruti 800 car
(depicted here sporting its original Sky Blue
Color.)
Maruti 800 Suzuki Alto Kei/SS800

27.  In 1984, the Maruti Van with the 3-cylinder
engine as the 800 was launched.

28.  In 1985, the Suzuki SJ410, 4WD off-road
vehicle with a 970cc petrol engine was
launched. This was renamed the ‘Gypsy’ in
India.

29.  The irony of the whole sordid saga is that the
100% India designed and manufactured ‘People’s
Car’, started its journey in India as a 100%
Japanese imported car, since the first few hundred
vehicles of the car and van were fully assembled
imports.
 Initially, 74% of the company was owned by the
Government of India and 26% by Suzuki Japan. As
of May 2007, the Government sold its complete
share holding and no longer has any stake in
Maruti Udyog.

30.  Now Suzuki have five manufacturing units in
India, with a combined production capacity of
1,700,000 vehicles annually.
 The Gurgaon manufacturing facility has three fully
integrated manufacturing plants and is spread over
300 acres . The Gurgaon facilities also manufacture
240,000 K-Series engines annually. The Gurgaon
Facilities manufactures the Alto
800, WagonR, Omni, Gypsy King, Ertiga, S-
Cross, Vitara Brezza, Ignis and Eeco.

31.  The Manesar manufacturing plant was
inaugurated in February 2007 and is spread over
600 acres . With a production capacity of 800,000
vehicles annually. The Manesar Plant produces
the Alto 800, Alto K10, Swift, Swift
DZire, Ciaz, Baleno, Baleno RS and Celerio.
 In 2012 Suzuki Powertrain India Limited (SPIL) was
started as a JV by Suzuki Motor Corp. along with
Maruti Suzuki. It has the facilities available for
manufacturing diesel engines and transmissions.

32.  The Gujarat manufacturing plant became
operational in February 2017. The plant
current capacity is about 250,000 units per
year. But with new investments Maruti
Suzuki has plan to take it to 450,000 units
per year.
 Suzuki Motorcycle India, Private Limited
(SMI) in 2006 ,The company has set up a
manufacturing facility at Gurgaon, Haryana
having the annual capacity of 5,40,000 units.