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Maruti Suzuki’s Hisashi Takeuchi named Autocar Professional’s Man of the Year 2023
Mumbai: Maruti Suzuki MD & CEO Hisashi Takeuchi is Autocar Professional’s ‘Man of the Year’ for 2023.
The Autocar Professional Man of the Year has been a person whose singular influence has shaped automotive headlines for the year, with a larger vision that has transformative potential. Takeuchi typifies that person, said Autocar Professional editor Ketan Thakkar.
Takeuchi, who took over the reins in April 2022, has accelerated decision-making at the carmaker and put Maruti Suzuki back in the reckoning in the lucrative and popular SUV segment. On the back of new SUV launches such as the Grand Vitara, Fronx and Jimny, the company has become the segment leader and appears on course to comfortably hold onto that position for the rest of FY 2024.
Takeuchi is also the prime architect of the company’s Vision 3.0 program. In Autocar Professional’s cover story, which also features an exclusive interview with Maruti Suzuki’s top boss, Thakkar writes: “Vision 3.0 is by far the most audacious mid-term goal set by the company. The plan envisages Maruti Suzuki doubling production capacity and revenues in eight years; tripling exports from India and expanding its product portfolio to 28 models from 17 at present.” Vision 3.0 could well be Takeuchi’s enduring legacy, said Thakkar.
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Maharashtra panel orders Lodha to refund Rs 5 crore to homebuyers
Consumer court flags unfair practices in long-running property dispute case
MUMBAI: In a sharp rebuke to one of India’s biggest real estate players, the Maharashtra State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has directed Macrotech Developers to refund nearly Rs 5 crore to a senior citizen couple, Uttam and Anindita Chatterjee. The ruling, delivered on March 13, 2026, calls out the developer for “deficiency in service” and “unfair trade practices”, bringing closure to a dispute that has stretched over a decade.
The case traces back to 2015, when the couple booked a 3-BHK flat at World Towers in Lower Parel for Rs 12.22 crore, with possession promised within a year. What followed was a series of changes that complicated matters. After deciding to exit the project, they were persuaded to shift to a 4-BHK in another development priced at Rs 8 crore, with delivery scheduled for 2018. However, within months, the price was allegedly increased to Rs 10 crore. After demonetisation reshaped the market, similar flats were reportedly being offered at lower prices, but the couple were not given the benefit.
Despite paying over Rs 2.83 crore, the couple neither received possession nor clarity. Instead, in 2018, the developer unilaterally cancelled the booking, retained part of the amount as earnest money, and argued that the buyers were investors rather than consumers. The commission rejected this claim, observing that casual references to “investment” do not take away consumer rights when the purchase intent is residential.
The bench also held that the developer could not penalise buyers for payment delays while failing to meet its own delivery commitments. It noted the lack of formal documentation for revised terms and termed the prolonged retention of funds without delivering a home as exploitative.
As part of its order, the commission directed the developer to refund Rs 2.83 crore paid by the couple, along with interest at 10 per cent per annum, amounting to around Rs 2.12 crore. In addition, Rs 1 lakh has been awarded for mental agony and Rs 50,000 towards litigation costs, taking the total payout to over Rs 5 crore. The developer has been asked to comply within two months.
For now, the ruling serves as a reminder that in real estate, shifting terms and delayed promises can carry a significant cost.
