Satnam Singh was found injured on Friday morning near the Sikh temple where he worked as a volunteer.
Detectives are trying to trace a dark hatchback car seen in the area.
Gurpal Singh of the National Sikh Heritage Centre said: "He could change the atmosphere just by walking into a room."
He said Mr Singh, who helped establish the Sikh heritage centre at the Sri Guru Singh Sabha temple in Derby, was always the first to arrive in the morning.
He was a devoted volunteer who was "close to the gates that day when they found him and he had his donation in his hand".
He said: "He was the first one to come to the Gudhwara (temple) every day, seven days a week, at 4.30am - every morning without fail, rain or shine, he would be there.
"He was well-loved - everyone knew him well and called him grandad or baba-ji."
Mr Singh was taken to Royal Derby Hospital where he later died.
Mr Singh's nephew, Bill Johal, said: "My uncle was a very good man. He was a caring, considerate and happy family man."
A post-mortem examination revealed he died from head and chest injuries "consistent with being hit by a vehicle", Derbyshire Police said.
A 74-year-old Sikh volunteer who was killed in a hit-and-run accident in Derby was "an uplifting" community leader, his friends and family say.