[foby.sebastian]

Originally Posted by r_nairtvm

Foby,

Thanks for this thread.

The Gentleman he was first and foremost and competetor next.

He helped me complete about 90 Kms of a rally in 1979.

It was the night ride section on day 2 some where on the Virajpet Mangalore section, my friend and I were riding an Yezdi RK. Until the previous stage we were running overall 5th and 1st in the non-sponsored teams category. We lost the auxilary electricals completely and was without the head light or the auxillary rally light.

We were at a loss and was wondering what to do. It was next to impossible to ride out gaht section without the light. Most of the bikers pssed us and no one even cared to stop (many slowed down to ask what happended).

Then came the cars. We could see them coming up from the foot hills. The first car ( a Fiat/ President with his twin carb set up howling) came up the hair-pin where were stuck and passed us in a flurry of dust. Suddenly the brake lights came on and the car reversed to us.

The driver popped his head out and I could recognise Kari. Kari asked me what the problem was. His next question was what was our position on the previos stage. On hering we were 1st non-sponsored, with out hesitation he told us to ride on in front. He told us to set the pace and he would follow with his lights on full.

Mind you he was leading the rally for cars and by offering to sit behind us he was willing to risk his place for our sake.

The rest was history for us. Full credit to my rider Timmy, he set such a scortching pace only one car managed to over take us (the pair of Kari & us) that was the car of Tirumal Roy. Roy won that leg but Kari finished second 8 minutes behind.

We finished that leg 22 minutes behind with overall 14th and 3rd Non-sponsored.

latter on we went and thanked Kari and introduced ourselves to him and thanked him. He told us to come and talk to him when we were ready for cars as he felt - seeing us ride - that we had the haed for speed.

But circumstances decided otherwise for Timmy and I that we had to give up dreams for more sedate lves burdened with family responsibilities.

To this day Kari's act of scrificing his first place for two unknow kids like us remain the higest kindness any one has shown me in my life.

Rest in Peace Kari

Best Regards & Drive/Ride Safe

Ram

Oh Jeez!!!!!

such a heart touching story , the legend still lives in.

[mechanik]

Wow! It is a great privilege to hear about the generosity of this great man through people whose lives he has touched in his short but fulfilling life. Lucky guys you, Mr Ram, Slipstream, and Rudra Sir for having had the opportunity to have met and spoken to a legend, Mr. Kari.

Thanks again Foby for this thread.

TC - Kiran

[ihmisohjus]

I can't believe I took so long to come across this thread. The man was a legend and one of my all time heroes. It's a pity i was too young when i met him (he passed away when I yeah 1 yr old). Since I work at RRP, almost everyone I work with is from coimbatore and have immense respect for the man.
These are a few pics. more will be up as soon as I find them.

[speedsatya]

Originally Posted by Rudra Sen

This was 1983-84. Agreement with CMSC was to hand over all exposed material. I may have some shots with my other camera body and I need to find those. It may take a little time as they should be (if they are there in the first place) in Calcutta. I'll try my best to get those.

Hey Rudra,

Any luck with these ?

[v1kram]

Originally Posted by ihmisohjus

I can't believe I took so long to come across this thread. The man was a legend and one of my all time heroes. It's a pity i was too young when i met him (he passed away when I yeah 1 yr old). Since I work at RRP, almost everyone I work with is from coimbatore and have immense respect for the man.
These are a few pics. more will be up as soon as I find them.

Thanks for posting the race pictures.
Car Number 65, brought back memories in me (used to collect the poster pictures of the car to paste it on my room).

Originally Posted by speedsatya

Hey Rudra,

Any luck with these ?

+1

[foby.sebastian]

The Legend lives on !

Kari!!!!

[e30b16]

He's still around !! In more ways than one !

[BheemBoy]

I came to know of Kari only last week when this gentleman whom I met few days back mentioned about him.

He was checking the pressure of his old car and when I asked him if I can take the picture of his car he gently refused.

Then I informed him about Team-BHP and told him I wanted to post the picture there. He said he knew about Team-BHP and has visited the site few times.

Then he told that he once had 12 old cars in his possession and he has sold most of them and has only 4 left now and has plans to restore them.

Then he told me that the car in the garage was a 1976 Ferrari flat 6 owned earlier by a business baron. He is now owning it and has plans to restore the car and even was so generous to offer a drive once it was done completely.

This gentleman said he was into racing from the age of 14 and had raced with Kari. He held Kari with such great respect and even told a similar incident as told by r_nairTVM.

I was so moved and wanted to find more about Kari and I see this thread in Team-BHP.

True pioneer of Indian Motorsports.

[foby.sebastian]

The rally godfather of south India lives on !

Photos by CK Jinan

[ananthkamath]

The Dolphin looks hot.. I assume this is the one with a Cosworth BD series engine.

[hserus]

Article on Kari

https://www.thebetterindia.com/18557...r-formula-one/

How One Man From Coimbatore Laid The Foundation For Indian Motorsports

Without this forgotten legend from Coimbatore, India wouldn’t have Narain Karthikeyan, Karun Chandhok & Armaan Embrahim

by Rinchen Norbu Wangchuk
June 10, 2019, 1:33 pm

By most accounts, Coimbatore’s very own Sundaram Karivardhan, a racing driver, car designer and business executive, is widely considered as the pioneer of Indian motorsport.

Blazing a trail during the 1970s, 80s and the early 1990s until his untimely death in 1995, it was his relentless passion for the sport that allowed future generations of Indian race car drivers like Narain Karthikeyan, Karun Chandhok, and Armaan Ebrahim take their first steps with the introduction of the Formula Maruti class in 1988.

(etc)

[arun1100]

Here is the YouTube link of Kari's biopic.

https://youtu.be/eRseNdvLaM4