Top navigators for National TSD Rally

Bangalore - Some of country’s top navigators will be seen in action in the first round of the inaugural JK Tyre-FMSCI Indian National TSD Rally Championship, promoted by Berunda Adventure Sports Club that will be flagged-off at the Golden Gate Properties, here Sunday.

Heading the field is Coimbatore’s leading navigator Shankar Anand who will be partnering Karthik Maruthi while on their heels are Bangalore’s Savera D’Souza (navigator) and her husband-driver Satish Gopalakrishnan who are among the hottest TSD pairs in the country at the moment following a string of victories in the recent months.

Challenging them will be another ace navigator BS Sujith Kumar who will be beside his long-time friend Chidananda Murthy. Also to be watched is Shrikanth Gowda, an experienced navigator who will be in harness with Girijashankar Joshi.

The presence of Abhijit Pai and his experienced navigator Chandramouli M, besides a couple of pairs from Coimbatore, the home of gifted co-drivers, and about half-a-dozen entries from Kolkata, Pune and Erode make for a good pan-India mix.

At the last count, the number of entries had crossed 50 that include 30 pairs who will participate in all the six rounds of the championship, besides a host of local Corporate and amateur participants.

Among the manufacturers, TATA have fielded six vehicles and Volkswagen India four while other car makers also have a presence on the grid through private entries.

Sunday’s run, to be flagged off at 7 a.m. from the Golden Gate Properties, will cover about 265 km and traverse through Magadi, Ramanagar, Bidadi, Kanakapura and Sarjapur before finishing at Love Shack, Inner Ring Road, Indiranagar, at about 5 p.m.

Kannada cine star Aindrita Ray and Additional General of Police (CID-Bengaluru) Megharikh did the honours at the ceremonial flag-off Saturday afternoon.