New Delhi [India], April 23 (ANI): Paying tribute to the late legendary leader Osamu Suzuki, Suzuki Motor Corporation and Maruti Suzuki India announced on Wednesday a proposal to establish the Osamu Suzuki Centre of Excellence (OSCOE) in India, the automaker said in a statement.

The announcement was made as part of the remembrance event held today at Yashobhoomi, Delhi, in the memory of Late Osamu Suzuki, Former Chairman, Suzuki Motor Corporation, who passed away on December 25, 2024, in Japan.

Osamu Suzuki introduced to India the Japanese concepts of manufacturing, which not only led to high competitiveness but also contributed to creating a more equitable, inclusive, and cohesive society.

These concepts are of deep relevance for the future growth of competitive manufacturing in India.

To recognise Osamu Suzuki's contribution to nation-building and for the widespread propagation of his manufacturing philosophy, which led to Maruti Suzuki's success, this Centre of Excellence is being established.

OSCOE is proposed to be located in Gujarat and Haryana, and will work towards fulfilling the following objectives: Support national objective of high manufacturing growth; raise the standard of component manufacturers (including tier-1, 2 and 3) to make supply chains of the country globally competitive; build infrastructure and develop programmes in collaboration with academia and others to propagate Japanese manufacturing philosophy. The programme would include but not be limited to, formal teaching, lectures, discussions, seminars, etc.

Importantly, the efforts of OSCOE would go beyond the automotive sector to other areas of manufacturing.

Osamu Suzuki was a visionary who played a crucial role in making car ownership accessible to the common people in India and in the country's emergence as a major car-producing nation globally.

Born on January 30, 1930, Mr. Osamu Suzuki graduated from the Faculty of Law at Chuo University in March 1953 and began his career at Suzuki Motor Corporation in April 1958. (ANI)