PLAN
Until 2015, Ashish’s passion for riding was limited to travel and touring. It all changed when two documentaries, a ride up a rocky trail and his first INRC rally sparked a flame that has been raging since.
He participated in and secured a podium at his maiden attempt at the INRC rally held in Nashik, India. He soon followed it up with Raid de Himalaya where he was 6th in class and 12th overall. The next three years saw Ashish participate in the Desert Storm series and the India Baja Rally securing top 5 positions in class and top 10 overall.
Never expecting to turn his passion into a career in motorsports, Ashish had wondered, “Is it really possible for a total novice with no connection to motorsport to get to the Dakar in five years?”. The answer lay in his debut at the Dakar Rally in 2021.
ADAPT
It all begins with an idea. In a relatively short time span, Ashish has built a formidable rally racing portfolio. A marine engineer by profession and a motorcyclist by passion, Ashish is constantly on his (w)heels navigating the uncertainties of life at sea versus the grueling challenges of rallying on land.
Despite the pandemic serving as a significant setback in his debut plans, he gunned forward and made it to the start line. Ashish then moved through stages as a 1-man army; racing by day and servicing his bike by night with no backup or support crew. A crash at Stage 5 resulting in a head trauma did little to dampen his spirit as he restarted in the Experience Category and crossed the finish line. In doing so, his participation has etched a moment in Indian Motorsport History.
Achieve
Ashish wishes to lead by example, by continuing to race and raise the bar higher. The one constant in all his endeavours have been to finish what he started. Ashish’s vision is to make motorsport a thriving possibility for budding racers and aspiring enthusiasts. His goal is to impart information, skills and training acquired through his own experience.
The next chapter sees Ashish competing at the Dakar Rally 2022.
