Farmer Sanjay Takale has been racing for 26 yrs; is first Indian to win at Asian Car Rally
Farmer Sanjay Takale has been racing for 26 yrs; is first Indian to win at Asian Car Rally
An agriculturist by profession, 42-year-old Sanjay Takale's fascination for speed has taken him places. He was all of 16 when he participated in a two-wheeler racing competition in 1987. Since then, there has been no looking back.
He did two-wheeler racing for almost 14 years, before shifting to four-wheelers.u00a0
A pro now, Sanjay is the first Indian to win at the Asian Car Rally 2009 held in Thailand. He went on to win the Rajasthan Desert Storm Car Rally held in February. But, from a farmer to a car racer, what is the reason for such diverse interests?
"Farming came to me hereditarily. But since childhood, I was always fascinated by speed. I wanted to become a fighter pilot, but circumstances deterred me from becoming one. Only when I started racing, I realised how much I love it. I dream of becoming the greatest Indian racer of all time," said Sanjay.
So, is fear a thing of the past for Sanjay? "Not at all. In fact, a good racer is one who is scared from within. Only when you are scared, you know when to draw a limit."
Along with speed, Sanjay says a proper balance of heart and mind is needed. "One can easily be gutsy and jump off a building on a bike, but that doesn't win races," he said.
Bharat Kankariya (51), a close friend of Sanjay, who owns an ad agency, said, "I have been a friend to him for almost 15 years now. I have never seen an individual so focused and dedicated towards his passion or goal in life. When it comes to racing, he forgets everything, his family, friends, everyone. Being from a farming background, it was not easy for him to pursue his dream. But he never gave up. I am really proud of him."
Sanjay said, "Currently, I am practising hard to win the Dakar Rally in South America, which is supposed to be the toughest rally in the world. Racing is fascinating. When you pass through rocky terrains, deserts, valleys and mountains, you realise how beautiful the world really is."
Wanting to pass on the pleasure of speed to the younger generation, Sanjay says, "I hope that more youngsters will take up racing in the near future."
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