Motor Sports
Remember the legendary international motor rally driver Shekhar Mehta
There will be five years from the death of the famous rally driver
Shekhar Mehta. He was the only man to finish the grueling Safari Rally in Kenya
five times, creating a new world record. London journalist SHAMLAL PURI
covering the event is this car for several years and Africa
Mehta met with a number, remember the man who rose from modest range
and become a legend in the world of rally.
Remember the legendary international motor rally driver Shekhar Mehta
For SHAMLAL PURI
On April 12, 2011, will be the fifth anniversary of the death of the legendary international automotive rally driver Shekhar Mehta. He died in London on April 12. 2006, 61 years after being admitted to hospital with pneumonia a few days before and C. Hepatatis
Mehta, the zoom in record books after winning the grueling Rally East African Safari (Safari Rally in Kenya later) to a record five consecutive times is the only man in the world to have achieved this distinction. His landmark achievement was recorded in the Guinness Book of Records. He always had the ambition to win the race ten times. A couple of months before his death Mehta was named interim president of the Commission of the World Rally Championship engine body meeting of the International Federation Automobile (FIA).
At his death, the FIA has sent a message of condolence to the Mehta family said: "Throughout his life is a Shekhar enormous contribution to motor sport and assembly, in particular, both as an effective competitor and as a highly respected member of the FIA. Shekhar experience commitment, sense of honor and humor will be sorely missed. "
Mehta was born in Lugazi, Uganda, June 20, 1945 .. His full name was Mehta Chandrashekhar, but fraternity meeting and its millions of fans knew him by his short name - Shekhar. He was the son of a wealthy businessman Khimji Mehta, tea and exploitation of large plantations sugar. Studied in Europe before returning to help his family business Uganda. The family was forced to move to Kenya in the 1970's, after all Indians and Asians were expelled by the dictator Idi Amin in 1972.
His record of five wins Safari Rally, four of them consecutively, it is being equal, even by the Europeans dominated the latter stages of the event when it was much more than the World Rally Championship.
The newspaper of Kenya, Twincam Daily Nation writer has observed that former world champions Bjorn Waldegaard of Sweden and Finland Juha Kankkunen are the only drivers who came close to achieving the feat with four wins each. Mehta position as a rally driver was unmatched by any other driver. They are still trying to this day to achieve equality only Mehta.
Mehta began his rally career in 1968 at the age of 23, driving a Peugeot 204. That's when a young driver unknown. But it was quickly build his reputation as a fearless pilot. He established himself as one of the top touring car drivers and also won the Hill Climb Championship in a BMW. Was Eastern Africa voted the Motor Sportsman of the Year in 1969, but the best was yet to come. His greatest achievement was between 1973 and 1982, when he dominated the Safari Rally in Kenya. Mehta was really attracts a crowd. Strenuous event I covered this car for about a quarter of a century, travel on the road, thus encouraging him to remember the ecstatic crowd every time your car zoom through the forests of Kenya. Like a true showman, that his fans a sample of your driving skills on the wheel. I photographed during many years in the road rally that his car would be different zoom leaving behind a thick cloud of dust.
The first of five victories came Mehta Drews Sublime in 1973 in a Datsun 240Z model, which became synonymous with his name in the following years. He tried to drive the cars of other brands, including Lancia, BMW, Peugeot, but there was no car that could match the Datsuns, later called Nissan. It was very comfortable to drive Nissan.
Won Safari Rally 1973, 1979, 1980, 1981 and 1982. He took part in the rally every year and always had the desire to improve his own record by winning the Safari Rally 10 times. He finished the 1986 Safari rally in eighth place overall in a Peugeot 205.
Mehta met their browsers and throughout his career has had three regular co-drivers - Mike Doughty, Rob Coombes Drews high and late. His first co-pilot Chandu Radia, a well known pilot in Uganda, living in North America. With these three co-drivers, performance was the same. Mike Doughty, who later became the owner of the Safari Rally Ltd, the treasures of his time with Mehta.
Although its dominance in the Rally Safari made him a legend in the home, Mehta had a strong desire to participate in events outside of Kenya. He be such. strong and competitive in these events he has produced the results to match the grandeur of an international car rally legend. He has participated and has been successful in Morocco, where he took sixth place, Kuwait (first) UK (eighth), Cyprus (First), Côte d'Ivoire (third), New Zealand (fourth), Argentina (fourth), Acropolis, Greece (third) Australia (Third) and Finland. More offers started coming young rider.
Mehta gave his first Datsun never ever victory in the Rally Raid by winning the Rally of Kuwait in 1979. He also won the Middle East and India Himalaya Rally Rally Championship. This event was inspired by the East African Safari Rally with the enthusiasm of Jayant Shah and Shekhar Mehta, among others, the leaders of India to Kenya.
His co-pilot in events outside of Kenya was a very young British woman, Yvonne Pratt. The two fall in love and then became Yvonne on Mrs. Mehta. The couple have a son of Vijay.
Driving a Peugeot 205 T16, Mehta turned to the Paris-Dakar Rally 1987, the toughest rally goes France through the deserts of Africa and ends in Senegal. His co-pilot Mike Doughty and finished fifth in the grueling race.
In 1987, also addressed the famous Pike's Peak Holl up in the U.S., driving a Peugeot. He finished the race in fourth position.
Mehta race meeting ended in 1987 when disaster struck in the Rally of the Pharaohs in Egypt Raid. He and his co-driver Mike Doughty survived a near-fatal accident at the end of a laminate of high speed is involving their Peugeot 205 T16. The car flipped several times in the Arabian desert before falling apart and leaving two Mehta and Doughty with fatal injuries. Shekhar spent months in hospitals in the UK and France, followed by long periods of time physiotherapy. The accident left him with a permanent back problem. He was unable to take part in any increment future.
His most recent Safari Rally in 1987 where he retired at the wheel of a Nissan 240R. I was one of the journalists to attend the event.
Despite the accident, Mehta was undaunted and continued his interest in motor rallies, but spent most of his time in the shade to make valuable contributions to the organization meeting with his experience and years of experience. It was official leader of the FIA world motor assembly. He also created his company and was based in London.
At the time of his death, Mehta held various positions at the FIA headquarters in France. He was president of the World Rally, World Rally Championship and FIA vice president.
Shekhar Mehta met several times in Kenya and elsewhere as a journalist I covered events. It was a very humble man and a great person to talk to. Never had a bad word for anyone. I met him at several times in the Kenyatta International Conference Centre in Nairobi Safari Rally hosted the event. It has always welcomed as a friend.
One day, we met in the lobby of the Intercontinental Hotel Ivoire in Abidjan, Coast, in West Africa, and introduced me Shekhar Mehta your wife Yvonne, and invited me to lunch with them. It was after winning the Rally Finish Ivory Coast. I always found charming and humble. Never had a chip on his shoulder, despite his legendary status. In press conferences and talking to journalists around the world, I always pay attention and respond to my questions with a smile. Has always recognized Rally as a sports journalist regular hordes of journalists. It was a privilege to speak in private and talk whenever we could.
Never Another legend as a driver meeting Shekhar Mehta walk the earth. His death is a huge loss for the car rally fraternity. - Shamlal Puri
email: shamlalpuri@gmail.com
About the Author
Shamlal Puri is a veteran British journalist, broadcaster, author and press photographer. He has worked with the media in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East. His latest novel ‘Dubai Dreams: The Rough Road to Riches' and DUBAI ON WHEELS: SPEEDING HEADLONG ON A DANGEROUS, SLIPPERY ROAD (CROWNBIRD PUBLISHERS LONDON and DIAMOND BOOKS, NEW DELHI published in English and Hindi) have been released around the world in 2010. Film rights are also being negotiated for some of his books. His next book Triangle of Terror will be published by Diamond Books in 2011. He is widely traveled in a journalistic career spanning 30 years. His work has been published in more than 250 magazines, newspapers and journals around the world. He is also the author of Axis of Evil: Blood Money and That's Life; Michael Matatu at Large (based on his columns in Drum, Africa's leading magazine and its sister magazines Trust and True Love.) He has several books in the pipeline.
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