Section 34
Brijmohan Lall Munjal
Grew a Ludhiana bicycle-parts shop into Hero Cycles and Hero Honda. (Hero Cycles / Hero Honda (Hero MotoCorp))
- life
- 1923–2015
- era
- 1947 to 1991
- 1986
- Largest bicycle maker since · 2015
The story
Brijmohan Lall Munjal was born on 1 July 1923 in Kamalia, now in Pakistan. His family moved to Amritsar and then Ludhiana, where they set up a bicycle spare-parts business in 1944.
After Partition the brothers began making bicycle components. In 1956 Hero Cycles received a licence from the Punjab government to make complete bicycles. Business Standard reports that Hero has been the largest bicycle maker since 1986.
In 1984 Hero joined Honda to form Hero Honda, which made motorcycles for Indian roads. The partnership ended in 2011 and the company became Hero MotoCorp.
He received the Padma Bhushan in 2005 and died on 1 November 2015, aged 92.
Timeline
- 1944Family starts a bicycle spare-parts business in Ludhiana.
- 1956Hero Cycles gets a licence to make bicycles.
- 1984Forms Hero Honda with Honda.
- 2005Receives the Padma Bhushan.
- 2011Joint venture with Honda ends; Hero MotoCorp is formed.
- 2015Dies on 1 November.