Archive · 23 Aug 2026
From Partition Loss to Hero MotoCorp’s Two-Wheeler Empire
Brijmohan Lall Munjal lost his home during the Partition of India in 1947.
He and his brothers started by selling bicycle parts and repairing bicycles.
A trader named Kareem Deen kindly let them use his business name, Hero.
The brothers later began making bicycles in Ludhiana.
Hero Cycles became one of the biggest bicycle makers in the world.
In 1983, the family joined with Honda to make motorcycles.
Their CD 100 became popular because it used little fuel and was reliable.
Hero and Honda later separated, and the company became Hero MotoCorp.
Munjal’s business grew into a large empire while he also supported education.
Brijmohan Lall Munjal and his brothers built Hero from bicycle parts trading after Partition.
Kareem Deen allowed the Munjals to use his existing “Hero” trade name before leaving for Pakistan.
Hero Cycles began production in 1956 and later became the world’s largest bicycle manufacturer.
A 1983 partnership with Honda created Hero Honda Motors and launched the fuel-efficient CD 100 motorcycle.
After separating from Honda in 2010-11, Hero became Hero MotoCorp and continued its growth as a major two-wheeler company.
- Who
- Brijmohan Lall Munjal and his brothers, including Om Prakash, Dayanand and Pawan Munjal, along with business partners such as Honda.
- What
- The article profiles the rise of the Munjal family’s Hero business from bicycle-parts trading to Hero MotoCorp, a major two-wheeler manufacturer.
- When
- The story begins before Partition in 1947, covers Hero Cycles’ founding in 1956 and the Honda alliance in 1983, and includes company results through Q1FY27.
- Where
- The business developed across places including Amritsar, Agra, Ludhiana, Haryana and Japan.
- Why
- The Munjals expanded from bicycle parts into manufacturing and motorcycles, emphasizing reliability, fuel efficiency, dealer relationships and large-scale production.
- Hero name
- Kareem Deen allowed the Munjals to use his existing trade name, Hero, before leaving for Pakistan in 1947.
- Hero Cycles founded
- Hero Cycles was registered in 1956 with seed capital of Rs 9.5 lakh.
- First production
- Hero Cycles produced 639 bicycles in its first year, rising to roughly 31,000 annually by 1961.
- Honda partnership
- The Hero Honda joint-venture agreement was signed on 24 December 1983, and Hero Honda Motors was incorporated on 19 January 1984.
- CD 100 launch
- The CD 100 sold 40,000 units in its first year and was promoted with the line “Fill it, Shut it, Forget it.”
- Company separation
- Hero and Honda began unwinding their joint venture on 21 December 2010; Hero Honda was renamed Hero MotoCorp in 2011.
- Recent results
- In Q1FY27, Hero MotoCorp reported standalone net profit of Rs 1,454 crore and operating revenue of Rs 12,999 crore.
- Reported valuation
- The article states that Hero MotoCorp was valued at Rs 1.14 lakh crore as of August 23, 2026.