Speeding Ahead

The onset of winter in 2016 was a challenging time for companies in India. On November 8, the government had demonetised Rs 500 and 1,000 currency notes, sucking out 86 per cent liquidity. For a company like Maruti Suzuki India, this was a potential catastrophe, as cash has a big role in car purchases. Worse, smaller towns and villages, hit more than the bigger cities, accounted for nearly 33 per cent of its sales, more than for any other car maker. The company rose to the challenge. Over the next few weeks, card swiping