Goenka did not believe in hostile takeovers: Rahul Bajaj

Bajaj Auto chairman says the industrialist was a gentleman and well respected amongst businessmen and in political circles

"Rama Prasad Goenka  expanded the Goenka group inorganically after division of group assets between himself and his two brothers. He let his two  brothers choose their share in the group assets first and opted for remainder.

 

"RP Goenka  did not believe in hostile takeovers. He was looking to acquire the Premier Automobiles Limited then controlled by the Walchand group but gave up the plan after being advised by common friends that such a hostile move will not go down well with labour unions and will not get the support from Maharashtra's ruling political class with whom Walchand group had close ties.

 

"I knew RP Goenka well through my maternal grand father's side, the Poddar family from Kolkata. He was ten years elder to me and I referred to him as "Rama Babu'' and "Guruji''  He was a gentleman and very well respected amongst industrialists and political circles and close to several Prime Ministers especially Indira Gandhi. 

 

"Very much in his lifetime he divided the RPG group amongst his two sons Harsh and Sanjiv. That was his foresightedness of making an amicable division between his two sons so that after his death the group companies  may not suffer."
 

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RP Goenka was a pioneering industrialist: Harsh Mariwala, chairman and MD, Marico 
 

"At a time when Indian industrialists were not making  significant acquisitions R P Goenka stepped out to do the same. He was a pioneer in that sense and I can identify with him as I too stepped out to do acquisitions abroad. I found him very courteous and humble at social gatherings. I was touched by his humble nature."

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Kumar Mangalam Birla, chairman Aditya Birla group 

 

"One of India's towering industrialists and the pioneer, he built a solid business house that has contributed significantly to the economic progress of our nation."