1921: Jamnalal Bajaj participates in the Non-Cooperation Movement. He renounced the title of Rai Bahadur conferred on him by the British.
1923: Jamnalal Bajaj participates in the Nagpur Satyagraha to uphold the honour of the Indian national flag.
1926: The Bajaj Group traces its roots to founder Jamnalal Bajaj who set up the Group’s first office in Mumbai (then-Bombay).
1928: Bajaj family-run temple, Laxmi Nayan Mandir, becomes first temple in India to allow Dalits to enter, despite objections from orthodox priests and Brahmins. On 17 July 1928, Acharya Vinoba Bhave led a group of Dalits inside. Mahatma Gandhi visited the temple to seek blessings before leaving for Mumbai to launch the Quit India Movement. Interestingly, the idols in this temple are adorned with khadi.
1929: Jamnalal Bajaj participates in the campaign to boycott the Simon Commission.
1930: Jamnalal Bajaj participates in the Salt Satyagraha with Mahatma Gandhi.
1932: Jamnalal Bajaj is arrested by the British and sent to the Dhulia Jail. In Dhulia Jail, authorities had accorded him an “A” Class, meaning he would be given different barracks from the rest of his colleagues. Jamnalal Bajaj instead preferred to be imprisoned in the “C” class barracks.
1934: The Hindustan Housing Co. is established.
1938: Jamnalal Bajaj is elected the chief of the Jaipur Rajya Praja Mandal. As chief he negotiated a truce between the Maharajas of Sikar and Jaipur. He played a key role in resolving the Sikar dispute with the British.
1938: Jamnalal Sons Private Limited & Radio Lamp Works is established. Kamalnayan Bajaj acquires the company in 1954.
1939: On Mahatma Gandhi’s suggestion, Jamnalal Bajaj acquires Mukand Iron & Steel Works in Lahore. Later, in 1989, the name of the company is changed to Mukand.
1941: Bajaj International is set up.
1942: The first draft of the Quit India Movement (1942) was passed in late 1930s at Bajajwadi in Wardha. The Bajajwadi had become the epicenter of Gandhiji’s political and social activities. It came to be known as “National Guest House” during the freedom struggle, since it was frequently visited by eminent political leaders, freedom fighters, social activists, etc. These included Jawaharlal Nehru, Dr Rajendra Prasad, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Sarojini Naidu, Subhas Chandra Bose, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, etc.
1942 : The Jamnalal Bajaj Seva Trust was the first charitable trust formed at the initiative of Kamalnayan Bajaj.
1945: Bachhraj Trading was founded.
1951: The Bajaj’s and ELMI comprising 4 European companies: Philips, General Electric Co, Crompton Parkinson and Associated Electrical Industries Hind Lamps come together in a 50- 50 partnership to form Hind Lamps.
1952: Hind Musafir Agency is created; the company is one of the oldest IATA recognised agencies in India.
1956: Jankidevi Bajaj receives Padma Vibhushan from President of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad.
1960: Bachhraj Trading is renamed as Bajaj Auto and becomes a public company.
1960: Bajaj Electricals is created and Radio Lamp Works is merged with it.
1962: Hercules Hoist was set up.
1963: Bajaj Foundation Trust was set up to offer agro business livelihood opportunities to rural communities.
1965: Rahul Bajaj takes charge of the Bajaj Group. Under his leadership Bajaj becomes a globally recognised name in two-wheeler manufacturing and finance.
1970: Government of India issues a commemorative postal stamp honouring Jamnalal Bajaj.
1972: Bajaj Auto launches Chetak under the Bajaj brand.
1975: Maharashtra Scooters is jointly promoted by Western Maharashtra Development Corporation Limited and Bajaj Auto Ltd.
1977: Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation is established in the memory of Jamnalal Bajaj, with the aim of promoting Gandhian principles.
1980: The Gitai Mandir is inaugurated on October 7, by his kulguru, Acharya Vinoba Bhave. The temple was conceptualized by Kamalnayan Bajaj to create a memorial for Acharya Vinoba Bhave’s work ‘Gitai’, a translation of all 700 verses of the Bhagavad Gita into Marathi. The ‘shilanyasa’ (laying the foundation stone) was done by Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan and the construction was undertaken by the Kamalnayan Bajaj Charitable Trust. The structure is built on a sprawling 27.8 acres of land at the site of JamnalalJi’s Samadhi at Gopuri, Wardha.
1987: Bajaj Auto Finance was formed to meet the financial needs of the Indian consumers.
1998: Bajaj Auto Finance Ltd. is registered with the RBI as a Non-Bank Company, to enhance access to formal credit to all Indians.
1998: Mukand buys stake in Hospet Steel.
2000: Bajaj Finserv announces its insurance joint ventures: Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance Company and Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Company. Allianz exited the ventures in the beginning of 2026.
2001: Rahul Bajaj receives the Padma Bhushan from President of India, K.R. Narayanan.
2007: Bajaj Finserv was formed as a result of its demerger from Bajaj Auto Limited to focus purely on financial services.
