Suzuki, the visionary who transformed small-car specialist Suzuki Motor into a global brand with significant success in India, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 94 after battling cancer.

It was gathered that under the charismatic businessman’s four-decade leadership through 2021, the firm’s sales grew more than 10-fold.

Born on January 30, 1930, in the central Japanese region of Gifu, he married into the firm’s founding family and later became its president in 1978.

Calling himself an old man at a small business, Suzuki focused on building light-weight “kei” vehicles, many of which became big hits for their fuel efficiency and easy-to-handle quality.

The carmaker also actively sought international partners and opportunities overseas to expand his business.

He once tied up with General Motors and Volkswagen and also forged a capital alliance with Toyota in 2019.

Suzuki expanded in India, where the company’s subsidiary now occupies the top market position.

According to the Nikkei Shimbun business daily, when he retired as the firm’s chairman in 2021, the company’s sales stood at 3.18 trillion yen ($20 billion).

When he took over the company in 1978, the firm’s sales stood at 323 billion yen.