A Make In India Champion

<p><em>A <strong>BW</strong> tribute to the late Surinder Kapur of Sona Group</em><br><br>There are many sectors where the popular slogan "Make in India" has remained just that; a slogan. While launching his Digital India mission recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi lamented how electronic goods constitute the second largest component of India's import bill. Even as Modi was unveiling his impassioned vision in the company of tycoons like Anil Ambani, Cyrus Mistry and 15,000 other people, family members of Surinder Kapur were mourning his death. The founder chairman of the $800 million auto components conglomerate passed away in Germany on June 30.<br><br>It would have been fitting if the master communicator Modi had used the Digital India function to pay a small tribute to one of the pioneers of the Make in India movement. Long before the term had become a popular slogan and theme, Surinder Kapur had actually demonstrated that manufacturing in India is possible, and can be a success. Many names are thrown up when it comes to discussing the success of automobile manufacturing in India. Brijmohan Lal Munjal comes to mind; so do Ratan Tata and Anand Mahindra. Even Baba Kalyani of Bharat Forge is celebrated. But as important a role was played by Kapur, whose 1988 partnership with Maruti Suzuki literally launched the auto components manufacturing revolution in India.<br><br>Just look at the numbers. In the last five years, exports of auto components have zoomed about three times from a little more that $ 4.5 billion in 2010-11 to close to $ 13 billion in 2014-15. Despite the continuing global recession and despite the sustained slump in the Indian auto sector since 2013, the auto components industry has grown at double digit rates every single year; both in terms of domestic sales and exports. The seeds of this durable success were sown&nbsp; when Kapur convinced the then CEO of Maruti Suzuki, R. C Bhargava that his newly formed company Sona Steering could manufacture steering wheels for the auto maker in India. So impressed were Bhargava and his colleagues at Suzuki that Maruti even picked up a stake in the new auto components company. A collaboration with the Japanese company Koyo added technological muscle and both the Sona group and the Indian auto components industry have never looked back. &nbsp;<br><br>In this day and age of frenzied headlines, furious debates and short news cycles, his death perhaps did not attract the attention it deserves. Tributes did come from both the Automotive Components Manufacturers Association ( ACMA) and Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM). Kapur had been president of both the industry bodies. The current president of SIAM Vikram Kirloskar said,&nbsp; "Kapur was one of the doyens of the auto component industry who played a pioneering role in creating a modern automotive supply chain in the country,He epitomised the spirit of entrepreneurship and professionalism and was looked upon as a role model for the manufacturing sector and for the entire component supplier industry".<br><br>ACMA President, Ramesh Suri said,"A true believer of globalisation, he not only led the Indian auto component industry to export, but was also a pioneer in international acquisition. Kapur will also be remembered for his contribution to several national and international forums, which he served with great passion and dedication."<br><br>&nbsp;Tributes often become a routine affair. But in this case, Surinder Kapoor truly deserved the words of praise.</p>