The President of India, Droupadi Murmu, has posthumously conferred Padma Vibhushan, one of the highest civilian awards, to Late Osamu Suzuki, Former Chairman, Suzuki Motor Corporation and Former Director & Honorary Chairman, Maruti Suzuki India, in a formal conferment ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi on 28 April 2025.

The Padma Vibushan was conferred to Osamu Suzuki for his outstanding contribution in the field of trade and industry. The award was accepted by Toshihiro Suzuki, Representative Director and President, Suzuki Motor Corporation on behalf of his late father.

Toshihiro Suzuki, said, “My sincere gratitude to the Honourable President of India and the Government of India for awarding the prestigious Padma Vibhushan to my father, Osamu Suzuki, Former Chairman, Suzuki Motor Corporation. I have just received this high-level award on his behalf, and I am deeply honoured. I believe he is, from heaven, looking back fondly on the 45 years he spent with India, his second home.”

“This award goes not only to my father, but also to all the people who have worked at Suzuki, Maruti Suzuki and all our business partners, who have supported us in this journey. My father must be feeling very proud today. I am also feeling extremely proud to receive this award. All the employees at Suzuki and Maruti Suzuki and our business partners must be feeling proud of this recognition. This award also expresses thanks to the ‘love of Indian people towards Suzuki’. This award belongs to all of you.”

“We, at Team Suzuki, will carry forward the commitment of Osamu Suzuki with the same passion to bring inclusive and sustainable mobility solutions that will be loved by the people of India,” he added.

Osamu Suzuki played a key role in driving the Indian automotive industry, especially the passenger vehicle segment. Under his leadership, Maruti Suzuki began manufacturing passenger vehicles with around 100,000 units per annum capacity in 1983.

The company is now one of the largest passenger vehicle manufacturers not just in India, but globally.  It was last year that the company reached a cumulative production milestone of 30 million units, an annual production of 2 million units and exporting over 3 million units cumulatively today.

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Hero Motors has fixed the price band for its initial public offering at INR 79 to INR 84 per equity share of face value INR 10 each. The offer will open for subscription on Wednesday, 16 September 2026, and close on Friday, 18 September 2026. Bidders can apply for a minimum lot of 178 equity shares and in multiples of 178 equity shares thereafter.

The company’s INR 10 billion public issue comprises a fresh issue of equity shares raising up to INR 6 billion alongside an offer-for-sale of up to INR 4 billion by promoters O P Munjal Holdings and Hero Cycles. Out of the fresh issue proceeds, the company will allocate INR 1.9 billion toward the repayment or prepayment of outstanding borrowings and INR 2 billion for capital expenditure to purchase equipment for capacity expansion at its Gautam Buddha Nagar facility in Uttar Pradesh. The remaining capital will fund inorganic growth acquisitions, strategic initiatives, and general corporate activities.

Hero Motors operates as an automotive technology company designing, developing, and manufacturing powertrain solutions for original equipment manufacturers across the United States, Europe, India and the ASEAN region. The company provides integrated system-level and component-level powertrain products, electric motors, integrated drive units, gear sets and continuously variable transmissions for electric and non-electric applications. Its client portfolio includes two-wheelers, performance cars, e-bikes, off-road vehicles, electric and hybrid automobiles, heavy-duty commercial transport, and electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft.

The company supplies global original equipment manufacturers and component firms including BMW AG, Ducati Motor Holding, Enviolo International, Formula Motorsport, Hummingbird EV and HWA AG.

The IPO is structured through the book-building process, allocating up to 50 percent of the net offer to qualified institutional buyers, a minimum of 15 percent to non-institutional bidders and a minimum of 35 percent to retail individual bidders.

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Zuno General Insurance has launched Fuel Guard, an industry-first car insurance add-on. As per the new-age digital insurer, the product offers extra protection amid India’s growing adoption of approved blended fuels.

Fuel Guard covers specified engine and fuel-system components against accidental and unforeseen damage caused directly by manufacturer-approved blended fuel. It is available for private cars registered on or after 1 April 2023, provided the manufacturer has approved the fuel used.

Vehicles must follow the prescribed maintenance schedule and have no unauthorised engine or fuel-system modifications. The cover can be added to applicable private car package, standalone own damage and bundled policies, including three-year long-term policies. Zuno said the launch reinforces its customer-focused motor protection strategy, following offerings such as Zuno SmartDrive.

Shanai Ghosh, MD & CEO, Zuno General Insurance, said, "At its core, Fuel Guard is built around a simple idea: as the mobility ecosystem evolves, insurance protection needs to evolve with it. At Zuno, we continuously look at how changes in mobility are shaping customer expectations and ownership experiences. Fuel Guard reflects our effort to translate those insights into simple, practical solutions that make protection more relevant in everyday life."

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Chennai-headquartered electric vehicle company Raptee.HV has opened an electric mobility Centre of Excellence at Rajalakshmi Engineering College, establishing an industry-academia partnership focused on electric vehicle technology.

The new facility, inaugurated on World EV Day, is spread across 3,000 square feet and will operate under the Raptee.HV Academy initiative will introduce industrial exposure and prototyping tools to academic institutions.

The project represents an INR 5 million investment and accompanies a Memorandum of Understanding signed between Raptee.HV and Rajalakshmi Engineering College. The agreement covers industrial training, site visits, guest lectures, internships, academic courses and research projects.

It is designed for students across electrical, electronics and automotive engineering; the laboratory contains a Raptee.HV T30 motorcycle, core electric vehicle components, a stripped motorcycle fitted with digital twin technology and equipment for testing battery packs, electric motors, power electronics, charging systems, vehicle communications and diagnostics.

Dinesh Arjun, Co-Founder and CEO, Raptee.HV, said, "The next generation of mobility will be built by engineers who understand the machine from the cell to the software. But you cannot build that understanding from a classroom alone. You have to get your hands dirty, take systems apart, question how they work, experiment and build again. The HV Lab is our attempt to bring that experience into engineering education. If even a few students walk out of this lab wanting to build the next great EV technology, we have done our job."

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Zuno General Insurance has launched Fuel Guard, a car insurance add-on offering financial protection against component damage caused by manufacturer-approved blended fuels.

The policy addition targets private motor vehicles in India as alternative and blended fuel adoption expands across the country. The coverage applies to specified engine and fuel-system parts in cases of accidental or unforeseen damage arising directly from approved blended fuel use.

At present, the insurance cover eligibility is restricted to private cars registered on or after 1 April 2023, provided the vehicle manufacturer has endorsed the specific fuel blend used. Vehicle owners must adhere to the manufacturer's prescribed maintenance schedule without making unauthorised modifications to the engine or fuel system. Fuel Guard can be added to private car package policies, standalone own-damage coverage, bundled options and three-year long-term policies.

Shanai Ghosh, Managing Director and CEO, Zuno General Insurance, said, "At its core, Fuel Guard is built around a simple idea: as the mobility ecosystem evolves, insurance protection needs to evolve with it. At Zuno, we continuously look at how changes in mobility are shaping customer expectations and ownership experiences. Fuel Guard reflects our effort to translate those insights into simple, practical solutions that make protection more relevant in everyday life."

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