Om Prakash Munjal
| Om Prakash Munjal ਓਮਪ੍ਰਕਾਸ਼ ਮੁਂਜਾਲ | |
|---|---|
| Born |
26 August 1928 Kamalia, Punjab, British India |
| Died | 13 August 2015 (aged 86) Ludhiana, Punjab, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Occupation | Co-founder and Chairman of Hero Cycles |
| Years active | 1944–2015 |
| Spouse(s) | Sudarshan Munjal |
| Children | 5 |
Om Prakash Munjal (In Punjabi ਓਮਪ੍ਰਕਾਸ਼ ਮੁਂਜਾਲ 26 August 1928 – 13 August 2015) was an Indian businessman, poet and philanthropist. He was the founder and chairman of Hero Cycles, the world’s largest integrated bicycle manufacturing company by volume and Hero Motors, an Indian two-wheeler components manufacturer, and ventured into newer business fields including luxury hotels and four-wheeler components. He is also known for philanthropic activities of running various schools and hospitals. He died on August 13, 2015 at DMC Hero Heart Centre, Ludhiana.
Om Prakash Munjal was born in Kamalia to Bahadur Chand Munjal and Thakur Devi.
In 1944, his family moved to Amritsar to start a bicycle spare parts business with his three brothers, Brijmohan Lall Munjal, Dayanand Munjal and Satyanand Munjal. The business flourished, however, within a few years, the Partition of India occurred and severely affected the business environment in Amritsar. The brothers moved the base of their operations to Ludhiana. In 1956, they moved from component manufacturing to complete bicycle manufacturing with the brand name Hero, the first bicycle manufacturing unit in India, producing 639 bicycles in the first year. Mr. Munjal died on August 13, 2015.
Om started Hero Cycles with a capital of Rs.50,000 in 1956 raised as a bank loan. The rise of the company attracted indigenous talent in the form of skilled engineers, technocrats, administrators and entrepreneurs who helped in building an ancillary industry around the bicycle industry. The then chief minister of the Punjab state, Pratap Singh Kairon motivated Om and his brothers to set up and run their business. They acknowledge Kairon as being immensely helpful for their beginning.
In the 1980s, Hero Cycles became the largest bicycle manufacturer in the world and was registered with Guinness Book of World Records in 1986 for this feat. Hero Cycles today produces around 19000 bicycles per day.
Om and his brothers expanded the Hero Group in various businesses, diversifying into sectors like bicycle components, automotive, automotive components, IT, services etc. Om, his brother Brijmohan and the next generation of the family were instrumental in establishing Hero Honda, now , a joint venture between Hero Cycles and Honda for manufacturing motorcycles that went on to become the world’s largest motorcycle producer.
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