Your Time on Earth Is Limited’: Sunjay Kapur’s Final Words Resonate Beyond Business

Sunjay Kapur, Chairman of Sona Comstar, immediate past President of the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA)  and current Chairman of CII’s Northern Region, passed away suddenly on Friday during a polo match in Windsor, England. He was 53.

He is believed to have suffered a heart attack mid-game. The suddenness of his death shocked peers, friends, and colleagues alike.

Kapur whose net worth is said to $ 1.2 billion (approximately Rs 10,200 crore) has made contributions to the automotive sector that were both substantial and transformative. During his tenure at ACMA, he championed global competitiveness and spearheaded the shift toward electric-vehicle readiness—a vision that pushed the industry into the new mobility era. Under his stewardship, Sona Comstar emerged not just as a successful supplier, but as a globally recognized powerhouse. He navigated the company through complexities and expansions, including Blackstone’s investments  and the record-breaking IPO—one of the largest ever in India’s auto-components space—and helped nurture academic interest, culminating in Harvard Business School case studies on the firm. 

A product of Doon school, Kapur later grew up studying BBA, Corporate Strategy & Human Resource Management at University of Buckingham. It was followed by higher education  at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard Business School.  

Later on starting his professional journey, Kapur helmed as CEO of  Sona Somic Lemforder Components Ltd, followed by as Chairman of Sona Mobility Services, Sona Koyo Steering Systems, before taking over as Managing Director of Sona BLW Precision Forgings (also called as Sona Comstart)  and later as its  Chairman in mid-2019. He was elected as President, ACMA India (August 2021- September 2023) and until the time of his death  served as the Chairman of CII Northern region.  For those who remembered his early years, there was a persistent image of him as the classroom joker, a detail that offers a certain pleasing dissonance with the man who would later command boardrooms and hold sway in government circles.

Yet he was more than his titles. To those who knew him, Sunjay was gracious, self-effacing, and endlessly curious. His hallmark humility—insisting on being called by his first name—belied the influence he commanded in boardrooms and government circles alike. He had that rare quality of making senior officials feel at ease, and junior professionals feel heard. 

Kapur's senior industry colleagues who have seen him grow in his career, pointed out his rather difficult start in his professional journey.  In fact, late Dr Surinder Kapur, one of the doyens of the auto component industry and Kapur's father had on few occasions raised concern on Sunjay's lack of interest in the business. However, after the passing of Dr Surinder in 2015, the junior Kapur seemed to have surprised everyone by blossoming into an effective strategic business leader. He  later  expanded and diversified Sona Comstar to greater heights. While the legacy can open doors, it’s Kapur's own vision and work ethic that left a lasting impact on many. For instance, once in 2016,  Kapur and  his top leadership team had an important meeting to attend in New York. However,  a massive winter storm made a commercial flight from Minneapolis to New York impossible. Kapur chartered a twin-prop light aircraft. Even with the constant  turbulence and low visibility all through the flight, with  two rookie pilots gripping the controls; Kapur was grinning ear to ear, calm as ever. “One life, dude . I’m the third engine . Sit back and enjoy the flight ,” Kapur  said, recounts Vikas Marwah, CEO, Lumax Auto Technologies,  in a social media post.. Marwah had  earlier worked with Kapur for over a dozen years. 

On another occasion,  despite sustaining a major injury while playing polo, and getting operated on in London, Kapur is said to have  made it to an ACMA event on crutches. 

Beyond his professional accomplishments,  Kapur was beloved for his warm demeanour, unwavering commitment to mentorship, and love for polo, a sport he championed both in India and abroad. He won the Prince of Wales trophy in polo prior to his death in Windsor. He was equally fond of mediation and yoga. 

On a personal front, Kapur leaves behind wife Priya Sachdev and a six year old son. He was earlier married to fashion designer Nandita Mahtani and later to actor Karishma Kapoor with whom he had two children. 

While Kapur  aptly filled the large shoes  of his father and achieved much in his life, what makes me wonder was his philosophical side. One of his last posts on social media philosophically stated: " Your time on earth is limited. Leave the "what ifs" to the philosophers and instead dive headfirst into the "why nots".