Padma Bhushan for Brijmohan Lall

Dr Brijmohan Lall, Chairman, Hero Honda Motors Ltd was honoured with the prestigious Padma Bhushan, a testimony of his vision and leadership, on the Republic Day.

This rare feat for Dr Brijmohan Lall comes close on the heels of the conferment of a Doctorate (D Litt­Honoris Causa) on him by Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, one of the most prestigious Universities of India, in October 2004.

The venerated patriarch and visionary of the Hero Group, Brijmohan Lall Munjal, is a first generation entrepreneur who started very small and through sheer hard work and perseverance has today made his two-wheeler venture the World's No. 1 Two Wheeler Company.

One of the brightest stories of Indian entrepreneurship began seventy-three years ago when a six-year old boy quietly walked into a newly opened gurukul (Indian value based school) near his home in Kamalia (now in Pakistan), determined to gain admission. Impressed by his conviction, the gurukul granted him admission instantly. Thus, began an extraordinary saga of entrepreneurial achievement.

Today, we know that boy as Dr Brijmohan Lall Munjal, the much-venerated patriarch of the Hero Group.

Brijmohan Lall's inspiration to enter the two-wheeler world came from a desire to provide the cheapest form of transport for the poorest of the poor. Post-partition, Brijmohan Lall Munjal and his brothers relocated to Ludhiana. They had to begin from scratch. They set up as manufacturers of bicycle components. From then on, there was no looking back. In typically modest manner, Brijmohan Lall Munjal accords a great deal of the credit for his success to his family and his team.

He traversed the road to success following these principles:

▪	Trusting his uncanny instincts.
▪	A unique approach to people - one from the heart.
▪	Ahead of his time, every time!
▪	The ideal corporate citizen! Showing others the way.

 
He has been actively involved in promoting Indian Industry. He is the Past President of CII (Confederation of Indian Industry), SIAM (Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers) and has been a member of the board of the country's Central Bank (Reserve Bank of India).

Dr Brijmohan Lall has won many laurels during his illustrious career. The Roll of Honours for him includes:

▪	Entrepreneur of Year Award by Business Standard in 2002.
▪	Giants International Award in the field of Business & Industry in 2002.
▪	Entrepreneur of the Year Award by Ernst & Young in 2001.
▪	Sir Jehangir Ghandy Medal for Industrial Peace by XLRI, Jamshedpur in 2000.
▪	Business Leader of the Year by Business Baron in 1998.
▪	Distinguished Entrepreneurship Award by PHD Chambers of Commerce & Industry in 1997.
▪	Businessman of the Year by Business India in 1994.

 
Brijmohan Lall has had a sparkling trail of successes. He has steered the group to national and international recognition.

Above all, his leadership and sagacity has earned him great respect and he has personally been responsible for kindling the spirit of entrepreneurship amongst his employees who today constitute a family of about forty successful enterprises.