Onkar S Kanwar, Chairman, Apollo Tyres Ltd was inducted into the Tire Industry Association’s (TIA) Hall of Fame 2011 at a special ceremony held on October 31 at Las Vegas, United States.
Every year the TIA honours the outstanding individuals who have created lasting value for the tyre, rubber and transportation industries. This year, along with Onkar Kanwar, 3 others have been honoured for their significant contribution to the American Tyre Industry. Kanwar, who is the only non-American to be inducted into this year’s Hall of Fame, unfortunately was not able to attend the ceremony in Las Vegas.
Speaking about the 4 honourees, Roy Littlefield, Executive Vice President, Tire Industry Association, noted, “Their remarkable careers have helped make the tyre industry what it is today, and they exemplify everything that is great about this industry.”
Having established Apollo Tyres in India as a global leader in the 1980s and 90s, he took the company global through acquisitions and with entry into new markets. From being a single market tyre manufacturer till 2005, Apollo currently has a network across the 3 continents of Africa, Europe and Asia.
On being inducted into TIA’s Hall of Fame, Onkar S Kanwar, Chairman, Apollo Tyres shared, “For me this honour is a vindication of what Apollo Tyres has tried to achieve within and for the Indian tyre industry. It is a recognition of the untiring efforts of every individual in the 16,000+ Apollo Tyres family, who have powered our growth and of our customers and business partners across the globe, for their trust in us and their feedback at all times.”
Along with Apollo Tyres Ltd, Onkar Kanwar is also the Chairman of Artemis Health Sciences, which has interests in healthcare and research. As a business leader, Onkar Kanwar has been closely associated with leading national and international industry organisations. He is the Past President of Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) & a former Chairman of Automotive Tyre Manufacturers’ Association. Currently, apart from being a member of the Trade Advisory Committee to the Government of India and the President of Indian Rubber Manufacturers Research Association (IRMRA), he is also a Member of the Board of Governors for Indian Institute of Management (Kozhikode) and Indian Institute of Information Technology Design & Manufacturing (IIITDM).
Based out of the US, the Tire Industry Association (TIA) is an international association representing all segments of the tyre industry, including those that manufacture, repair, recycle, sell, service or use new or retreaded tyres, equipment and material. Currently, 6000 members are associated with TIA.