News: Architect of Maruti Suzuki’s five-seater van bows out

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Architect of Maruti Suzuki’s five-seater van bows out

I V Rao, a crucial executive behind the cost-effective strategy of Maruti Suzuki, bids adieu after 36 years of service.
Architect of Maruti Suzuki’s five-seater van bows out

From having seen the Indian automobile’s market grow from only four manufacturers in the 80s to 20 manufacturers with more than 3800 K vehicles being produced, I V Rao has seen the industry transform tremendously during his tenure at Maruti Suzuki.

I V Rao, former head of R&D and Director of Maruti Suzuki Centre for Excellence, has spearheaded the cost effective designing and development of cars for the Indian market for the past 36 years. After about four decades, he has decided to step away from the world of automobiles and into the arena of mentoring entrepreneurs and startups.

Rao played an instrumental role in architecting the five-seater van--the Van Eeco--within a period of just two years. He has been heralded for his expertise in the field and for having used material that costs less and still maintains the standards demanded by the Indian markets.

A dynamically evolving product strategy with being cost-effective as the underlying motto of Maruti Suzuki, the company has continued to maintain more than 50 percent of the market share in a market like India.

Until recently, Rao served as the Executive Advisor, Engineering & Director, Maruti Centre of Excellence at Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. He was a part of the “Make in India” initiative which led to the birth of Wagon R, Swift, Dzire. Apart from the Van Eeco, his name is also connected with the highest selling model, MPV--Ertiga.

Having started his career with Maruti Suzuki as a Senior Executive in 1983, he completed his Masters in Technology from IIT Kanpur and holds a bachelor’s degree from Osmania University.

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Topics: Appointments, C-Suite

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