Chennai, Dec 7: Indu Chandhok, the doyen of Indian motorsports with which he was actively associated for over six decades, passed away on Saturday morning. He was 93 and leaves behind two sons, one daughter, seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Indu Chandhok’s son and Madras Motor Sports Club (MMSC) vice-president Vicky Chandhok, said: “The Patriarch of the Chandhok family, passed away in his sleep this morning. Total legend he was. ‘BIC’ lived his life filled with a great sense of humour until the end. He was a fantastic father and protector. In a way, he was also the patriarch of Indian motorsports who saw the big picture with a clear vision for the growth of the sport. The family and the motorsports fraternity will miss him.”
MMSC president Ajit Thomas said: “In Indu Chandhok’s demise, the MMSC and Indian motorsports have lost a giant and an institutional figure. He was instrumental in providing definitive direction to motorsports in India and we are now enjoying the fruits of his untiring efforts. He also shaped MMSC to what it is today. We deeply mourn his passing away and offer condolences to his family.”
Born in Kolkata on July 22, 1931, and then moving to Chennai (erstwhile Madras) in 1932, Indu Chandhok, blessed with boundless energy and varied interests, led an active life. He was one of the founder members of the Madras Motor Sports Club in 1953 and later, the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI) in 1971 of which he was the president (1978-79), besides being integral part of the Trust that purchased and developed the Madras International Circuit (erstwhile Madras Motor Race Track) at Irungattkottai, near Sriperumbudur and about 40 Kms from Chennai.
Off the track, he was involved with the Punjab Association Trust of which he was the Chairman, the DAV School, Camp Tonakela, the Madras Round Table which he founded, the Masonic Lodge, president of the Indian Motor Parts Dealers Association, the 41 Clubs of India, an association of ex-Round Tablers whose international President he became.
Indu Chandhok was best known for his long and enduring contribution to the growth of motorsports in the country. His involvement with motorsports for the last 60 years, first as a competitor and later as an organiser, earned him the sobriquet of “Godfather of Motor Sports in India”. He passed on his motorsports genes to his son Vicky Chandhok, a former National Rally Champion, and grandson Karun Chandhok, India’s second Formula One driver (after Narain Karthikeyan), who is now a well-known F1 race commentator and analyst.
Former FMSCI president Shramik Masturlal put it best when he said: “Indu was an institution in himself. His co-founding of the FMSCI, his huge efforts in making Sholavaram races what it became, the creation of the new track from scratch, the birth of the MMST etc, all bore the stamp of Indu’s efforts in furthering motorsports to unimaginable levels. Indu leaves gigantic footprints. An era has passed!”
