The former chairman of Bajaj Auto Rahul Bajaj passed away in Pune on Saturday after a prolonged illness. The veteran business leader was 83.

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Bajaj had not been keeping well and died around 2:30 pm today. He will be cremated tomorrow in Pune, the Group Bajaj said in a statement. He is survived by two sons, Rajiv Bajaj and Sanjiv Bajaj, and a daughter Sunaina Kejriwal.

Tributes poured in for Bajaj, who had stepped down as the chairman and full-time director of Bajaj Auto in April 2021 after a stint of over 50 years at India's second-largest motorcycle producer.

The Padma Bhushan awardee was appointed as Chairman Emeritus of the Company for a term of five years with effect from May 1, 2021. He has also helmed Bajaj Group of Companies apart from being Chairman of the Board of multiple companies.

"Rahul ji, who has led the Bajaj Group for the last five decades, has been instrumental in the industry. May God rest the departed soul and give strength to the family members," Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari tweeted in Hindi.

यशस्वी उद्योजक, समाजसेवी और बजाज के पूर्व चेयरमैन राहुल बजाज जी को मेरी भावभीनी श्रद्धांजलि। पद्म भूषण से सम्मानित राहुल जी से मेरे अनेक वर्षों से व्यक्तिगत संबंध रहे हैं।

— Nitin Gadkari (@nitin_gadkari) February 12, 2022

Congress leader Milind Deora too consoled the industrialist's death and said it was hard to come to grips with the news.

"Many of us knew of Rahul uncle’s health was deteriorating but the news of his passing comes as a shock. Deepest condolences to Sunaina & Manish Kejriwal, Rajiv & Sanjiv Bajaj," he wrote on the microblogging site.

Hard to come to grips with the news that India’s most outspoken industrialist, Rahul Bajaj is no more.

Many of us knew of Rahul uncle’s health was deteriorating but the news of his passing comes as a shock.Deepest condolences to Sunaina & Manish Kejriwal, Rajiv & Sanjiv Bajaj pic.twitter.com/2J5PTGaZOX— Milind Deora | मिलिंद देवरा ☮️ (@milinddeora) February 12, 2022

Congress general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala said Bajaj's fearlessness over speaking the truth would be missed.

The doyen, who never shied away from speaking truth to power, is no more.India will miss his deep rooted commitment to the nation building and sense of purpose. Our heartfelt homage. pic.twitter.com/CQLWM6TTIk

— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) February 12, 2022

Bajaj, born on June 1, 1938, held a degree in economics from the University of Delhi, a degree in law from Bombay University and did his MBA from Harvard Business School.

First Published:Feb 12, 2022 4:12 PM IST