A Journey through the History of Indian Motorsports

Indian motorsports has a rich legacy and has produced talented racers since the pre-independence era. 1904 was the year when the first official racing events were held on Indian soils. Back then only the Kings owned the vehicles and the general public was not really aware of automobiles in India. Ford and Rolls Royce were the only cars back then. The first Indian Road Race was held in 1904 by the Motor Union of Western India. The main motive of the race was to make the people aware about the fact that cars were a mode of transport which could be introduced in India. 

Before World-War II broke out, Motorsports in India made its arrival. But at that time there was no governing body to regulate the motorsports events. That was the time of the birth of Sports Clubs:

• The Madras Motorsports Club
• The MG Car Club, Mumbai 
• The Bangalore Motorsports Club.  

The clubs of Chennai and Bangalore were the ones that took the initiative to hold modern day rallies. The participants had to cover a specific distance within a specific time and all the road rules had to be followed. Even the modified cars took part in the rallies. 

In1970, The Western India Automobile Associations (WIAA) was formed in Mumbai. The Federation of Motorsports Club of India (FMSCI) was India’s first national governing body for auto-racing and rallying in the country. After about 15 years of the formation of FMSCI, it was recognized by the government of India as the only authority which could control and conduct the motorsports event in India. Percy was selected as the Founder Secretary of FMSCI. As the time passed, Percy became the President of FMSCI, but at that time WIAA was at a loss as they had not hosted any event for many years. 

In 1980, the FMSCI became politicized and the tyre companies sought to control the sports. Since then there has been no looking back. The Motorsports in India has witnessed a lot of growth and has even become capable enough to host the Formula One Racing championship. 

Also Read: Chennai Street Circuit: A Weekend of Highs and Lows

The trend of Motorsports in India has now increased to such an extent that a documentary web series ‘Breaking the Barriers: India’s Race to Glory’ has been produced to showcase the stories of unsung heroes of India, who have laid a strong foundation for the motorsports events in India. While watching the series, you will go on a journey from the past to the present era. If you are a motorsports fan and are interested in the stories of unsung heroes of India, who have laid a strong foundation for the Indian Motorsports, this web series is for you. 

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