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Category: Raid de HImalaya
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Col. Kulbir Singh Chauhan recalls eighties’ Himalayan
New Delhi, 12 Nov 2021: One of Col (Retd) Kulbir Singh Chauhan’s most vivid memories of the great Nazir Hoosein revolves around a stage of the Himalayan Rally in 1989. Col Chauhan, a four-time winner of the Himalayan Rally was, along with co-driver Col (Retd) SS Sekhon, a part of the most competitive Indian team on the circuit at the time.
“The leg started from Lansdowne towards Mussoorie. I was perhaps the fifth car to flag off, and say after about 30 kilometres, I saw the cars ahead of me, driven by international rallyists, turning back,” he reminisces. “I didn’t really understand why that was happening, and with a true fauji mentality, went on anyway. There was a village, with some crowd and then I reached the checkpoint, where the time controller told me my time and asked me to move ahead. I refused because it felt unsportsmanlike. I’d seen drivers ahead of me turn back, and it played on my mind.”
Within a few hours an announcement cancelling the leg came through. The cars turning back had been scared by the crowds gathered at the village. Col Chauhan ended up being the only car that had braved through, even if he had refused to cross through the line and, technically, finish the stage. “Much later, when Mr. Hoosein met me, he admonished me, saying if I’d crossed the line, I’d have been the overall winner,” Col Chauhan says, “But in the same breath he also commended my sportsmanship, and in that moment, I truly understood what a great man he was — a true rallyist who understood competition but also understood motorsport ”
As the 100-car cavalcade of participants at the Nazir Hoosein Memorial Drive drove through Jalori Pass yesterday, Col Chauhan watched their progress with keen interest, regularly checking up with some friends who were taking part. Jalori offered them the best views of the Himalayas yet, with the Dhauladhar range spreading to the west and the Great Himalayas stretching off to the east, right into Tibet.
But despite the beauty that surrounds the pass, for most travellers the real joy is in driving through it — a test of mental fortitude and skill. A single, narrow, curving road is all there is and as you approach the pass, the climb gets steeper every 100m, making even the smallest mistakes cataclysmic — for the car and those inside.
“In my opinion, there were faster stages at the time in the Himalayan Rally. What made Jalori different was that you needed to have power to climb it efficiently, which few Indian cars did, at the time,” Col Chauhan says. “If you had guts, you could do it. It is a test of your endurance more than anything else.”
The fleet of cars participating in the NH Memorial Drive reached Manali, via Auth and Kulu to take in a well-deserved break from hard mountain driving over the past few days. The drivers will proceed to Koksar, via the Atal Tunnel, before being allowed a free run to Rohtang and return to Manali, for the final day of the Drive.
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Mahindra joins sponsors for Nazir Hoosein memorial drive
New Delhi, 6 Nov 2021: The Nazir Hoosein Memorial Drive by Team Firefox today announced that Mahindra Adventure is the presenting sponsor of the drive. Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. has a long history of association with the Himalayan Rally, having been involved with the event right from its first edition in 1980. Taking this legacy forward, Mahindra Adventure, the experiential marketing vertical of Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. has come onboard as the presenting sponsor. As a part of the association, the All-New Mahindra Thar, among others, will be a prominent SUV from the Mahindra stable in the drive. In addition, 15 Mahindra SUVs will also be seen supporting the execution and management of the drive.
The event received a further boost right before its flag off, with several former winners and winners confirming their participation in the event, set to flag off on November 8th.
Commenting on the association, Harish Lalchandani, Head of Marketing (PV & Pickup, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. said, “The Nazir Hoosein Memorial Drive has its deep-rooted legacy in motorsports and adventure. With our decades of experience in building authentic and capable SUVs that encourage people to explore the impossible, we are proud to be a part of this nostalgic journey.”
Mahindra Adventure will have two All-New Mahindra Thar, among others, at the NHMD, both in retro fitted colours of the original Himalayan Rally. The first car to be flagged off, on November 8th will be the All-New Mahindra Thar driven by Col (Retd.) SS Sekhon, a six-time winner of the Himalayan Rally. The second car will be driven by Surinder Thatthi, Vice President Sport at the FIA. Thatthi was involved hugely with the original event in the 1980s and in fact India coordinator for the Opel factory team that won the inaugural edition.
Among the participants are Colonel (Retd) SS Sekhon, one of the most experienced drivers in the field, who participated in nine of the eleven editions of the Himalayan Rally. Col Sekhon won the top Indian car award thrice and with his teammate Capt Chauhan, was a household name around the Himalayan Rally.
The drive will also see Manjeet Bhalla and Flory Roothaert in action, a major throwback to the 80s when the duo were the pair to beat at the Himalayan Rally. Bhalla was the first Indian co-driver to navigate a world class rally driver at the Himalayan Rally when he partnered Roothaert — a man with immense experience on the international stage. Roothaert’s driving style won him multiple individual podiums and endeared him to Indian fans, a feeling that was mutual.
NHMD is also privileged and thankful to Army Adventure for sending their all-ladies team in support of the drive. The team will comprise Lt Col Euthica and Major Tejal Parashare. Lt Col Euthica is widely regarded as one of the best women rally drivers in the Army, leading the first all-woman team by the Army in the Extreme category of the Raid de Himalaya 2018 and Desert Storm 2019. She won the Coupe de Dames in the Royal Rajasthan Rally 2019 and bagged the top place in T2 category in SJOBA 2019. The duo’s association with the drive is a huge boost for the event.
Other notable drivers participating in the NHMD include Kiran Mody, Rajiv Rai, Tutu Dahawan, Alak Raju, Farad Bhathena, Farokh Commissariat, Uday Esawaran.
Mahindra Adventure is a title sponsor of the event, in continuation of its association at the inaugural event. Other sponsors include Haridarshan, Sidvin, IARC, Hella, Motul and supported by Apollo Healthcare.
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Nostalgic Nazir Hoosein memorial drive brings Himalayan fraternity together
New Delhi, October 16: Two years into a pandemic that has brought the world to a grinding halt, nostalgia is the one thing that has endured. With systems slowly coming back to normal and sporting events slowly finding their feet in a new landscape, a desire to travel, relive and experience the great outdoors has never been more palpable. Motorsports in India is slowly getting back in gear, with events lining up for a new season and kicking things off is one that is as much rooted in the past as it is a signifier of the way ahead.
The Nazir Hoosein Memorial Drive by Team Firefox was officially launched today in a virtual press conference with former winners, participants and dignitaries sharing their memories of an event and a pioneer who reshaped Indian motorsport.
“Once we saw things slowly opening up, some of us involved with the motorsport community decided that we should do a drive, something to hark back the good times,” Rajan Syal said. “That idea snowballed into doing something to commemorate Nazir Hoosein.”
Hoosein was a founder member of his club, the Indian Automotive Racing Club (IARC) and was former President of the Federation of MotorSport Clubs of India (FMSCI) in 1984/85. While his pioneering administrative work paved the way for many motorsport enthusiasts in the country, Hoosein is perhaps most fondly remembered for founding an event that reshaped Indian motorsport — the Himalayan Rally.
Hoosein’s original desire, that the event showcase Indian motorsport as well as the diaspora of the country remains the driving motivation behind this memorial event too. Gaurav Gill, a multiple time FIA Asia Pacific Rally champion remembers the Himalayan Rally shaping his interest in motorsport in his formative years. “I heard about it as a young child and it really drove my passion for rallying. I am very happy to see this tribute to the iconic rally route in the Himalayas seeing such good participation and look forward to its great success.”
The first edition, held in 1980 was based on a safari rally format. Since then the concept stuck, with international participants supporting the format and the course itself. The Himalayan Rally would form the spine of the Indian motorscape in the 80s, and winners — most notably Jayant Shah — often turning into overnight celebrities in the country.
“Nazir was a man of vision, and the Himalayan Rally brought international rallying to India,” Farokh Commissariat said. “This year we also celebrate the 50th year of the IARC and it is fitting that the rally will allow us to pay tribute to him in a manner deserving of his stature.”
NHMD will follow the original route from the 1981 edition, with a 100 car field kicking off from Greater Noida on November 8th. The first stop will be Lansdowne (8th), followed by Mussoorie (9th) and Kufri (10th). On the 11th, drivers will tackle the iconic route of the original rally — the Jalori Pass before halting in Manali. The final day will see participants cross over the Rohtang pass before concluding the drive in Manali. “The idea was to recreate the original route, for various reasons. In 40 years, a lot of the landscape has changed, and it will be interesting for former participants as well as fans to experience it,” Syal said.
“I am delighted to be part of this wonderful tribute to Mr Nazeer Hoosein,” Mohan Nagarajan, Chairman Sidvin Energy Engineering said. “Going back and tracing the iconic Himalayan Rally route will be a wonderful experience not just for me but for all members of the motorsports community of India.” -
Resilient Aishwarya Pissay stunning show silences her critics: Rally of Himalayas
Manali, 10 October 2021: Cross Country FIM World Cup Baja winner Aishwarya Pissay, who returned to the track courageously once again, after a serious accident that saw fractures on both her wrists, silenced all her critics with stunning resilience that made the connoisseur sit-up and take notice as she beat many of the male riders to come clinch a creditable fifth place and a second on the podium in her M2 Class of 250 to 450cc bikes in the inaugural FMSCI approved Rally of Himalayas, which concluded on Sunday.
For the record, the Rally which brings back the Himalayas as a terrain after Raide de Himalayas is off the Indian rally calendar saw about 100 participants, with about 30 taking part in the bikes category won by Aman Prabhakar Pawde in 2 hours, 55 minutes and 21.100 seconds over three days of tough terrain in Kullu-Manali region.
But it was the ladies who caught the eye, and as one focuses on the South Indian lady riders, INDIAinF1 makes a special mention of the young Tanika Shanbagh, who excelled beyond expectations to finish in the top-10 in her first attempt at the mother of all rallies and one of the highest-altitude rallies in the World. Tanika Shanbagh from Satara, the daughter of former rider Sanket Shanbagh, will be looking to consolidate her new-found love from here on and if nurtured well has a bright future.
The other only lady-pair of Dr Shivani Pruthvi and co-driver Deeksha Balakrishna too successfully completed the rally beating many a male driver in the Cars section.
Final unaudited (provisional) Classification:
(Legend: Position, Class, Competition number, rider name, time taken)
Overall Bikes: 1. M2 #103 Aman Prabhakar Pawde (2hrs, 55min, 21.100sec); 2. M4#135 Santosh Vishnoi ( 2:58:31.600); 3. M4#110 Mohit Thakur (03:02:11.600); 4. M5#120 Suhail Ahmed (03:04:50.800); 5. M2#103 Aishwarya Pissay (03:08:47.300); 6. M12#150 Nitish Bharadwaj (03:10:10.500); 7. M4#126 Saurabh Handa (03:10:31.400); 8. M1#101 Jatin Jain (03:11:03.800); 9. M9#132 Tanika Shanbag (03:11:49.500); 10. Invitational#176 Happy Verma (03:12:49.100);
Car results are awaited
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Dr Shivani Pruthvi, Deeksha Balakrishna, only ladies in Rally of Himalaya
Manali, 6 October 2021: Ace rally driver Dr Shivani Pruthvi and Deeksha Balakrishna will be making their debut in the Rally of Himalayas, the toughest cross-country rally in the country which has attracted as many as 100 top rallyists from across the country to Himachal for the first-ever “Rally of Himalayas”, one of the most challenging motorsports events of the world in dangerous terrains of the state from October 7 to 10.
Creating ripples
Dr Shivani and Dr Deepthi Pruthvi, the daughter-mom pair from Davangere have been making ripples in the motorsports circles by taking part in the Indian National Rally Championship (INRC) for the last three years. But Shivani, who completed her MBBS, last year despite all her motorsports activity, has just finished two INRRC rounds, the revived TSD Nationals at Hampi and the previous week, she was racing at Chennai’s Madras Motorsports Race Track. Dr Deepthi is an expert pathologist and a busy lady at the hospital as she chose to serve in her district itself but has been calling the pace notes for Shivani for some time now. But the multi-faceted Shivani who is known for her focus and hardwork even in her college days has managed tough schedules that a doctor’s course demands. She was also a multiple participant in the Republic Day Parade as an NCC cadet.
Deeksha joins to strengthen the only ladies team
She choose to rally with Deeksha as she is taking part in the extreme Cross-Country rally for the first time. Deeksha Balakrishna, is another talent from Southern India, who made her INRC debut, in style, with Pragathi Gowda in Arunachal Pradesh last December and made many take notice. Deeksha, also grew up in motorsports culture, listening to her dad Balakrishna’s tales. Popularly known as BK, he has been at the helm of motorsports activity in Karnataka and is currently the go-to man in fmsci for any of the sporting needs. Deeksha, naturally fits the bill Shivani feels. “She is the right choice as we enter as the only ladies team in the Rally of Himalayas,” she added. It keeps the FMSCI Women in Motorsport concept alive in the toughest rally of the country. Deeksha, who proved to have a strong will and steady mind, is equally thrilled. “It is definitely a challenging and tough.. the mother of all rallies. We are on our maiden mission to tame the elements as we prepare for a big test of endurance, cold temperatures and high altitude, both for the car and the team. Definitely a Mmighty Himalayan task and look forward to many more thrilling drives with Shivani,” said Deeksha.
Inspired by Dad’s tales, the Pruthvi effect
The Karnataka duo, finished the recce and will be looking forward to some challenging but enjoyable experience. “I am looking forward to driving here as I heard many tales from my dad about how one can overcome any challenge if you are in sync with the nature. I am going with a positive mind and my target is to finish the rally. We are game for it,” said the young doctor from Davangere in Karnataka. Pruthvi, her father, who introduced her to rallies was an yesteryear star for JK Tyres. Pruthvi, along with Shivu Shivappa, the FMSCI vice-president, had many tales to tell, when they took part in the inaugural Raide de Himalaya in 1999. Their story and run to the finish lane in a gypsy is a tale every enthusiast would love to hear. We shall will keep it for another day.
Organised by Himalayan X-Treme Motorsports Club, the rally will be flagged off by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur from Kullu on October 7 and the prize distribution ceremony will be held at Solang in the presence of Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Singh Thakur on October 10. The thrilling motorsport event will cover the challenging terrains of Hamta and Spiti which will test the stamina and skills of the rallyists.
Ten-time Raid de Himalaya rally winner Suresh Rana, who is president of the hosting club said: “Record 70 bikers are participating in this rally. This is the record as such a high number of participants has never been recorded before. Besides this, 30 cars including 4X4 vehicles will be vying for the title. We are putting our everything to make this rally successful and popular worldwide.”
A group of rallyists and motorsports enthusiasts are the members of the organising club backed by the government. As the rally will cover major portions of Kullu and Lahaul-Spiti districts, the administration from both the districts is also helping in successful conduct of the rally. The general traffic movement will be stopped at many stretches to ensure public safety. The health department will station ambulances at regular stretches.
Air Himalayas, Himachal based helicopter service, is also partnering with the rally and will station its helicopter to help air evacuation in case of a medical emergency.
“The extreme motorsports lovers were disappointed as no rally event was being organised for a long time. Finally, after working for months and talking to the top rally teams of the country, we managed to bring this event together with the support from the government. Finally we are ready to tread the Himalayan terrains,” Rana added. The first and special state of the rally will go to Hamta after the flag-off ceremony by the CM. Then the rally will move to Kaza in Spiti via Atal tunnel, Gramphu and Kunzum pass. The final leg of the rally will end at Solang where prizes will be distributed among the winners by Union Minister Anurag Thakur.
This article is first published by here before it was edited and published in INDIAinF1.
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Arindam Saikia, Nataraj Revanna emerge champs in Raid de Himalaya 2018
Nataraj Revanna of TVS Racing, the fastest competitor in Raid de Himalaya 2018 Leh, 13 October 2018: Arindam Saikia of Team Polaris and Nataraj Revanna of Team TVS were crowned the undisputed champions in the 20th Raid de Himalaya here on Saturday. Arindam, who jumped ahead on Day 2, hung on to his lead tenaciously for the next two days to claim the Xtreme 4×4 category. He logged a total penalty of 6.32.49 hours.
Nataraj, on the other hand, has been in a class if his own among the bikers, and easily won in the Moto Xtreme. He, in fact, proved to be the fastest competitor in the entire field, with total penalty of 4 hours, 58 minutes, 52 seconds.
The iconic Raid started from Kargil on October 10 and concluded today, with the competitors coping with extreme cold and demanding terrain across Kargil, Zanskar and Ladakh.
The 2015 Raid winner Captain AVS Gill, in his Grand Vitara, finished 10.53 minutes behind to take the second position. Himanshu Arora of Haree Rallying, driving a Gypsy, took the third place. Amitrajit Ghosh of Team Mahindra made a major comeback to claim the fourth place.
With Nataraj comprehensively beating the field, the others had to settle for the remaining honours. His teammate Imran Pasha finished with a total penalty of 5:15:21 hours to take the second place. Vishwas SD finished third while Jatin Jain was fourth.
Vijay Parmar, President Himalayan Motorsport, pointed out that these were all provisional results as the final audit was still in progress.
“Raid 2018 was very difficult. We kept facing bad weather at every turn. For the first time, we encountered temperatures as low as -16 degrees. Wind chill was well over -20 degrees, making the going really tough for the bikers,” Parmar said.
Raid de Himalaya, considered among the top ten toughest motorsport rallies of the world, is organized by Shimla-based Himalayan Motorsport, India’s premier motorsport club.
Remarkably, both the amputees in fray, Vinod Rawat of Mumbai and Ashok Munne of Nagpur, finished the Raid successfully, even finishing second and third in the Group D category, featuring stock bikes with no modifications. Vishal Das of Kolkata was the winner.
Parmar said reducing the Raid de Himalaya format to four days kept the competition alive till the end. “The Raid has usually been six days long. By Day Four, the likely winners usually emerge and it’s just a question of holding on to your lead after that,” Parmar said.
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Raid de Himalaya 2018: All-women teams set to explore new horizons
The Rana sisters….all set for new challenges. Shimla, 02 October 2018: Delhi’s Shuchi Thakur, a St Stephen’s alumnus and global number one in extreme cross country high-altitude motorsport racing among women, is again taking on the challenge at the 20th edition of the Raid de Himalaya.
The Raid will start from Leh on October 8, and will finish on October 14. Competitors at Raid 2018 will take on mountain roads, hairpin curves and dangerous drop-offs in Kargil, Zanskar and Ladakh sectors, covering approximately 3,000 Kms every year.
Shuchi has competed at the Raid an astounding 12 times. That is a formidable record, since the Raid is considered among the top ten toughest motorsport rallies of the world. Shuchi, who hails from Dharamshala and now lives at Delhi, first competed in Raid de Himalaya in 2005. She has been racing at the Raid every year since then, except 2016. This makes Shuchi the only woman globally who has raced a 4×4 vehicle over 100,000 Kms of high-altitude dangerous roads in an extreme motorsport event.
Shuchi’s commendable podium finishes include second in T1 category at Raid 2017, first in T2 category at Raid 2015, and second in T2 category at Raid 2013. At the Maruti Suzuki National Autocross Championship 2016-17, she ranked first in North Zone 4-Wheel Drive category.
Shuchi says it is important for a professional rallyist to be fit all the year round. “For cross country endurance rallying, fitness is key. One has to be prepared for long hours of strenuous driving under all kinds of conditions. I run a lot, also do resistance training and high intensity interval workout.”
Shuchi Thakur and her co-driver. Shuchi works in the advertising industry in the creative section. “Everything else that I do is a means to this end – rallying. I am there to compete, not for a fun drive in the hills. I try to do as many events in a year as possible. Seat time is essential. The more seat time you get, the better you get at your craft,” she says.
Shuchi has been competing in other cross-country rallies in the country like the Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm and the SJOBA sub-Himalayan Rally. She also races at autocross events in the country.
The other major woman rallyist in the Xtreme category of the Raid is Anu Rana of Chandigarh. Anu has been competing in Xtreme motorsport racing since 2014. This is the fourth time she is competing at the Raid de Himalaya.
In 2015, Anu was second in the T2 category at the Raid. She bagged the Coup de Dames trophy, given to the all-women team that performs best at the Raid, in 2015 and also 2016. Anu was second in the T2 category at the Dakshin Dare 2015, and first in the women’s category at Dakshin Dare in 2016 and 2017.
Anu, a financial consultant, will compete at the Raid with her sister Poonam Rana as navigator. The duo has won various trophies together.
Anu says the Raid is her favourite motorsport race. “Competitive driving for long hours at high altitudes requires completely different set of training and conditioning of your body. The terrain keeps getting steeper with every turn, and you will not know when you will be racing on loose rocks or even sand, which makes the drive tougher with distance. For a racer like me, the terrain looks tempting, but you should never forget limits of your car,” said Anu, a seasoned rallyist now.
Raid de Himalaya is the flagship event of the country’s premier motorsport club, Shimla-based Himalayan Motorsport. President Himalayan Motorsport Vijay Parmar said women drivers who come to the Raid are are really, really tough. “Their level of dedication, fearlessness and outright driving skill is a world apart. Shuchi Thakur has been coming for the Raid for over a decade. She has always aimed for an overall win, beating men and women in her category. Anu Rana, teaming with her sister, can be a formidable combination in Xtreme 4×4. Interesting times ahead.”
For Raid de Himalaya 2018, motorsport adventure seekers will race on the new pass of Kaldang-Kildang La at an elevation of 4.092m in the Ladakh region. The Raid will also have competitive stretches across the daunting stretches of Photoksar and Sirisir La.
This year’s Raid will run its first stage on the never-before traversed section from Lamayuru, called the moonland of Ladakh, to Photoksar. Competitors are going to race on a newly-upgraded road that was earlier a mule track into Zanskar.
Competitors at the Raid will also on the road leading to Umba La, a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.496 meters above sea level. This is one of the most spectacular stretches globally, and is listed on dangerousroads.org. Crossing the Sirisir La at a height of 4,805 meters above sea level, the 20th Raid De Himalaya is going to enter totally unchartered territory.
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Raid de Himalaya 2018: Two amputees to compete on motor-bikes, a global first!
Vinod Rawat…..all set for a new challenge in his life. Shimla, 30 September 2018: In a global first, two amputees are going to compete on motorcycles in the World’s highest cross-country rally raid, the Raid de Himalaya. Setting this global record are Vinod Rawat of Mumbai and Ashok Munne of Nagpur. What makes these amputees take on a rally that is the litmus test for motorsport adventure seekers in the country? The four words that people have thrown at them over the years. ‘You can’t do it’.
The Raid is considered among the top ten toughest rallies of the World. It will take off from Leh on October 8 this year, and finish on October 14. Over 200 competitors participating in Raid de Himalaya 2018 will race over some of the most challenging roads in the Kargil, Zanskar and Ladakh sectors, speeding over rocks, gravel and dust.
The amputees, Vinod Rawat and Ashok Munne are competing in the toughest category at the Raid – Xtreme Moto. Racing motorcycles at high-altitude roads and mountain passes is a task few can accomplish.
Munne is a Nagpur man, and nobody who knows him is surprised that he is going to compete at the Raid de Himalaya. Munne is a para-athlete whose achievements can dazzle any able-bodied individual. The 34-year-old is a mountaineer, an expert para glider, a scuba diver, a marathon runner, a black belt in martial arts, a skilled gymnast and kayaker, yoga expert and ace swimmer.
Munne climbed the Everest in 2016, and is planning to repeat the feat in 2019. He lost his leg in a train accident in 2008, but didn’t let the handicap limit his life. His current passion is finishing the Raid de Himalaya. “I was 24 when I lost my leg in a train mishap. People said my life was over. I proved to people that I can and will do everything in life. There is no physical limitation. I will live my life the way I want to.”
Ashok Munne…..living his dream Munne, who uses a blade leg, is the brand ambassador for two multi-national artificial limbs companies. He climbed the Mera Peak in Nepal, at a height of 6,476 meters, without oxygen. In 2013, he rode 3,000 Kms through Ladakh on his motorcycle. He is ecstatic, he says, to be fulfilling his dream of participating in the Raid de Himalaya.
“Now everything is a surprise in life. Everything is a new joy. It feels so wonderful that I am competing in the Raid this year. I had never thought I would live such an exciting life,” said Munne.
Rawat has lived the Raid dream in his head for nine years. His leg was amputated when he was child. He got his driving license in the year 2000, and has been an avid motorcyclist since. “I came to know about the Raid in 2010. Since then, it has been my most cherished dream to compete at the Raid and finish it,” he said.
Rawat was not the one to take his Raid dream lightly. He has been going to Leh since 2011 at least once a year, practicing motorcycling there so that his body got used to the demands of high-altitude terrain.
In 2017, as part of his Raid preparation, Rawat went to Leh on a cycle all the way from Manali via Khardung La. Rawat says he undertook the rally to check his stability and stamina. “Like we test the power of the bike, I wanted to test myself. Machine doesn’t take the man. The man takes the machine,” said Rawat.
Rawat is driving a 150cc four-stroke Indian bike at the Raid. Experienced motorsport champions know that finishing the Raid successfully is a challenge. Rawat is confident that he will be a Raid finisher. “You may call it overconfidence, but I believe in it 100 per cent. For 18 years, ever since I became a motorcyclist, people scared me because I am an amputee. I have always stood my ground. I will prove them wrong this time too,” said the determined 43-year-old.
Rawat’s Raid dream is being sponsored by Jaipur Foot, the artificial-limb providing company that gave him the rubber-based prosthetic leg to enable normal movement. “We want to reach the disabled and fill them with hope,” said Rawat. “When I compete at the Raid, people with disabilities will know that they don’t have to live restricted, fearful lives,” said Rawat.
The Mumbai man admits that he could have chosen to be the first amputee globally to participate on a motorcycle in a rally as formidable as the Raid de Himalaya. “But I thought I should take another amputee along who is a high-achiever. This would be such amazing inspiration for the disabled,” he said.
Raid de Himalaya is the flagship event of the country’s premier motorsport club, Shimla-based Himalayan Motorsport. President Himalayan Motorsport Vijay Parmar said that their club has always promoted the spirit of excellence in life, of achieving against all odds, by supporting para-athletes like Deepa Malik, Arun Bareja and now Ashok Munne and Vinod Rawat. “At the end of the day, without the possibility of an impossible challenge the human being is nothing at all! We are amazed by their determination, and what they have achieved,” said Parmar.
