Having suffered third degree burns in April, Santosh now back to defend title at Maruti Suzuki Raid De Himalaya

CS Santosh

India’s top motorbike racer CS Santosh, who sustained third-degree burns at the world rally championship in Abu Dhabi this April, is back to defend his title at the 15th Maruti Suzuki Raid De Himalaya.

The Raid will run from October 4 to October 12.

Two skin grafts in April and May and other injuries from his mishap at the World Cross Country Rally Championship have not been able to deter Santosh. He is all set to race against the top bikers of the country at the world’s highest rally raid, the Raid De Himalaya, riding a Suzuki 450.

The 29-year-old Bangalorean has been a multiple national autocross and motocross champion. Last year, he ranked first in the Raid Xtreme (Moto and Quads) category.

Mr Manohar Bhat, Vice President Marketing of Maruti Suzuki, said that since its inception in 1999, the Raid De Himalaya has grown exponentially in stature and difficulty. “It is the only Indian motorsport event listed on the off-road rallies calendar of FIA (Federation Internationale Automobile) and FIM (Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme). Our rallies now draw the best motorsport talent in the country, and also nurture new talent among youth each year,” he said.

Santosh admits that the Raid is “by far the most painful, physically and mentally demanding rally in this part of the world.” And yet, he can’t wait to be back in Shimla, from where the Maruti Suzuki Raid De Himalaya will be flagged off.

“The competitor is the Himalayas. That is the only and the biggest competitor. The rest are all factors. I can size them up. The Himalayas, you can’t size up,” says Santosh.

Maruti Suzuki Raid De Himalaya is organized by Himalayan Motorsport, the premier Shimla-based motorsport club. Vijay Parmar, the president of Himalayan Motorsport, said that coming back for the Raid challenge exhibits Santosh’s super spirit as a sportsman.

“Santosh is world-class; probably India’s best biker today. He was running at the 27^th position among 64 champion bikers of the world when his bike caught fire, forcing him to withdraw from the desert challenge,” said Parmar.

Meanwhile, the other competitors in the category are all geared up. Dakar finisher and Maruti Suzuki Raid De Himalaya 2011 winner Helly Frauwallner has his eyes firmly set on the Raid crown.

The 54-year-old Austrian is seen as something of a legend in international competitive biking. The third formidable competitor in this category is Chandigarh’s Mohit Verma. The 24-year-old won the crown in Rally Xtreme (Moto and Quads) category at the Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm and also The Mughal Rally this year.

Leaving the Dakar Rally behind, the Maruti Suzuki Raid De Himalaya will take on two of the highest mountain passes in the world this year – the Khardung La and the Wari La.

The Raid will begin from Shimla and traverse the difficult stretches of Kaza and the Monastery Necklace, Khardung La and Wari La, and the temperamental Nubra Valley. It will draw to a close at Leh.

The 15^th Maruti Suzuki Raid De Himalaya boasts of the maximum number of competitors ever, and a record number of entries in each category. This year, the Raid will boast of 45 teams in Raid Xtreme (4×4) and over 45 in Raid Xtreme (Motorcycles and Motoquads). Raid Adventure towers the charts, with 70 teams of speed lovers from all corners of the country.

For all these die-hard rallyists, it is going to be a straight fight over six days through one of the most inhospitable competitive terrains in the world.