Farad Bhathena

Also known as “Big Foot” in Indian motor sports circles, Farad is a well-known rally driver. He comes from a family of motorsports icons, his parents, sister and brother having raced and rallied. He has competed in over 200 races and rallies in India and South-East Asia. He was 3 times National Rally Champion and multiple winner of the iconic Great Desert Himalayan Rallies. BBC Top Gear India has rated him as amongst the 10 best drivers ever in the country.

Farad has organized and conducted over 150 motor sporting events such as speed rallies, navigational rallies, drags, track and circuit races, rally driving schools and safety driving schools, including with ex-World Rally Champion Simo Lampinnen. He has received training at WRC Australia on conducting WRC events.

Farad also managed the Tata Motors motorsports programme for several years and was actively involved in the running of the MRF Formula 1600 and 2000 series.

He was also involved in the testing and developing of cars, engines and tyres for several years, starting with his own rally cars and going on to do testing for major automobile and tyre manufacturers such as MRF, Mahindra and Tata Motors, amongst others.

Farad continues to serve as Steward at many national and international motorsport events, most recently as Racer Director at the 2024 Indian Supercross Racing League. He also serves as director on the board of the Indian Automotive Racing Club, one of the oldest motorsport clubs in the country and a founding member of the FMSCI.

Navaz Sandhu

Navaz's motorsport career is distinguished by her remarkable achievements, including being honored as "Rookie of the Year" and recognized as "the fastest woman in India." Her journey in motorsports, deeply rooted in a family legacy of Indian racing greats, led her to numerous victories and accolades. Notably, she won all categories she entered in her debut races at Sholavaram, Chennai, and secured impressive finishes in the challenging Himalayan Rally, placing 8th overall in one edition and earning the "Coupe de Dame" trophy.

Navaz's resilience and skill were further highlighted in international competitions, such as her participation in the Hunsruck Rally in Germany, making her one of the first Indians to compete in a European rally. Her domestic rally achievements include clinching 1st overall in the Sportscraft Summer Rally, a record still held by an Indian woman, and securing top positions in the Indian National Rally Championship.

Beyond competitive racing, Navaz has significantly contributed to motorsport in India through her roles in promoting the sport, including creating the first Indian Junior Championship and running and conducting her own Indian National Championship rallies. She serves as a jurist for prestigious automotive awards, including Viva and Car India.