[suhaas307]

Turn the clock back to 1992. A three-year old kid holds onto his father's hand while frantically pointing at a gleaming blue-grey Premier Padmini that's parked in his family's garage. He wants a ride in it. So he gets one! While sitting in the passenger seat, his eyes wander around the insides of the car as he soaks in as much as he can. A year later, he sets his eyes on a Porsche 928. It's just a little sticker that had been strategically stuck on a switch-board in his house. He asks his father about it, and then instantly falls in love with 'the automobile'.

He would then study each and every page of each and every car magazine that came free (a condensed copy) with a business news-paper. Noticing this, the father drops a cheque in the mail, and a month later, his first of many a copy arrived by post. And the rest they say was history.

2002. Sitting next to the driver in his school bus, he would hold his water-bottle next to him and pretend to shift gears, nearly mimicking the driver's actions. He would then reach home, pull out an umbrella and stuff it in between the cushions of his couch and go about working the 'box again.

Fag-end of 2007. New years eve. He walks away from a bustling crowd and numerous cars with a little slip in his hand that says 'DL passed' and immediately begins to notch up the miles on his parents' cars.

2009. The same kid stumbles upon a treasure trove. An automotive site that he was looking for, for several years. A place where he could get his information almost as immediately as a light that comes on when the switch is pressed. A place where people 'discussed' and 'debated', and not hurled slander at each other. A place that is friendly, inviting, informative and most importantly clean.

Suhaas Shenoy is what I've been named. And people recognize me as an automobile enthusiast, a music lover and a rationalist. Someone who is eager to learn. I'm no perfectionist, but I certainly aspire to be one.

People who know me personally, often say that I was born in the wrong generation. I would have fitted well amongst the kids of the '60s and '70s. I have a very strong passion for Porsches. My favourites would be the iconic 2.7 RS, the 2.8 RSR, the 3.0 RSR (all from the '70s) and the 964 Turbo. The original Mini holds a special place in my heart. The Cooper variant, even more so. I'm an ardent fan of Honda cars, and hot-hatchbacks too. Give me something with a short-wheel base and a pokey motor, and I'd be chuffed!

I'm a big fan of music from that era too. My life would be incomplete without Pink Floyd, especially their early music. I enjoy listening to Cream, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Rush, King Crimson, Dire Straits, Jimi Hendrix, Radiohead, The Doors, Tracy Chapman, Michael Jackson, Soundgarden, Porcupine Tree, Tool, etc.

I'm currently a student, pursuing law. I hope to spread my tentacles into various fields of work, and would prefer it if they are in some way connected to automobiles.

I'm grateful to Rush and gang for Team BHP. It's my second home now.

They say that the curious cat's best friend is Google. For me, it would be Team BHP.

I also strongly believe in this quote (albeit altered slightly): Cluttered Forum = Cluttered Minds.

[moralfibre]

Hello bhpians,

This is Kiran. It feels great to be invited as a member of the support forum. It's been just under 24 hours since I've taken up this role and I am quite thrilled to be able to contribute to the greatest community of car guys I have ever been with. Having said that I have had some great moments for the last 8 years on team-bhp.

About me:

I was born and brought up in Bombay for 18 years and my love for cars started from as far back as I can remember. I've been a resident of Pune for the last decade. Just like many of you, it all started with a gigantic collection of dinky cars and slowly moved to bigger and better ones. As a kid I would always stop by Pranlal Bhogilal's impeccable collection of vintage and classics while we would drive up to our house in Walkeshwar. A stop-by was customary irrespective of the date or time of the day. Well, that does not hold me down to just loving vintage & classics but that does form my main area of interest in automobiles.

I do love anything under the sun with wheels and an engine in it be it a slow and long trailer truck or the fastest production motorbike. The best so far I have been in is a Mercedes Benz Gullwing and a Ferrari 275 GTS/B. There's a thread somewhere on the forum about it.

My bread earner:

I work for the IT industry for the last seven and half years. We are in the payments domain and that's all I have to say about it. Just like many of you, I am contemplating on a move to someway or the other associated with the automobile industry.

My cars:

I started off on team-bhp while looking for a used Safari way back in 2004 as an upgrade to the Zen. I am glad that 10 bhpians jumped in and stopped me from making a blunder. Moved on and bought a Palio 1.6 for myself under heavy discounts. I could barely afford it but then love is strange. Used the Palio for a good 5 years and clocked over a 100,000 kms on it. Moved to a Swift Diesel for the last 10 months and it's been a good kmpl journey so far. So much so that I've stopped walking completely.

My dream garage:

Should have a stash of classics that I could use everyday! An Alfa Romeo 8C is what I lust for each passing day.

On the forum:

I am here to shoulder responsibilities for the upkeep of the forum. Learning things slowly and I am sure to be at speed to help you around for any issue that you may have on or off the forum related to cars.
That said, have a fun revving time on the forum while keeping our quest for quality in mind.

[Aditya]

I am known to the outside world as Aditya Nadkarni.

Born in 1976, I was crazy about cars since as long as I can remember. I was a demanding child. My grandfather had to give me a short ride in his Ford Zephyr every day before he went to work. Toy cars were the only toys that really excited me.

With age, this craze became a passion. Unfortunately, passion doesn't count when you want to take up automobile engineering, marks at school do. So, after studying Commerce at Bombay University, I worked in the accounting line for many years. Still, my passion for cars would just not die. I used an old Ambassador, which was lying around for a while and on occasions, spent time at a garage watching mechanics take it apart and put it back together. This was a good learning process and soon I started carrying out a few light repairs on my own. I used to always jump at any opportunity of a long drive. As the years passed, cars changed and so did my job. I started freelancing for an automobile magazine and took part in many events like rallies and endurance runs.

Motorcycles? Yes. I had a Suzuki Shogun for a while and rode the wheels off it. Loved it! Commercial vehicles with monstrous torque excite me too.

Apart from vehicles, I follow cricket, football (LFC in particular) and tennis. I listen to a lot of music and have a keen interest in wildlife.

My current steeds are a Mitsubishi Lancer and b’Twin Rockrider 5.0 bicycle. I’d like to get myself a Triumph Bonneville someday.

Team-BHP is nothing short of a vault of information. The quality has remained absolutely top notch right from the start. It’s great to be a part of this wonderful community.

[ampere]

I am a Bangalore based electrical engineer who works with circuits for a living. I think I may be the least of automobile enthusiasts in this community. My interests are more into maps and routes, and its Google maps which interests me the most. There lies my passion to explore the unexplored. And add to it, the thrill of a good drive and a desire to capture the unseen. It was just that I discovered both these passions only after I joined this wonderful community. And that was the genesis of my love for automobiles.

I am a sedate driver and enjoy long road trips, but I don’t push myself. Love the local countryside morning sunrise to the late night dinner. I have toured the country extensively by public transport, and am now in the process of re-discovering the same by driving on my own (just like most of us, isn’t it?). With the kind of roads in Bangalore, its always a vehicle with high ground clearance for me. I just love the concept of a compact crossover SUV for its sheer utility.

Team-BHP surely is the most well-maintained forums I have seen around, with answers to all topics that one can think off. Not to mention the good friends that I have made.

[Gannu_1]

Hello guys,

My name is Ganesh and I belong to Palakkad, Kerala. I was born in Coimbatore (on 8th February 1987) and brought up in various parts of Kerala - Trivandrum, Palakkad, Thrissur and Ernakulam. Parents were working for SBI (both have now retired and are merrily enjoying the new stint together) and as a result, we were wandering like nomads during my childhood. But it sure was fun - different people, different culture, new neighbours, new friends, new classmates and teachers, time to wind up and relocate to a new place! Made a lot of good friends on the way, some of them whom are still in touch.

I did my schooling at the various Kendriya Vidyalayas (Kanjikode, Thrissur and Kadavanthra, if you must know) in Kerala, graduated in mechanical engineering (‘04-08) and began my career at L&T in their ship-building division at Hazira, Surat (GJ) as a design engineer. When the graduation was underway, I knew I wasn’t meant to be the IT guy - software/coding was never my forte, and core mechanical stuff is what interests me. I am glad I am working for that sector right now. I love the things that move, make noise, can be touched and felt. Favourite pastimes - cooking, music, traveling, home maintenance and tinkering with the car. I love my ever-expanding tool collection - the latest addition being a nice and heavy bench vise which has been fixed to my erstwhile computer table! I am going to need a proper workbench shortly. I was also into PC and console gaming (favourite genres - FPS, RTS, action-adventure, RPG, indie) until sometime ago. Greatest honor? Completed Demon’s Souls and Dark Souls. RPG fans would know!

Current steed (and my first one!) - the first gen Polo GT TDI. I love her to bits. Leaves me with a smile every time I step into the car and floor the throttle. During my free time, I love tinkering with her and have attempted some modifications such as the bi-xenon projector headlamps, Euro-spec tail lights, the instrument cluster from the Polo GTI, gas strut to lift the hood and so forth. When you have some spare time, do check out the DIY threads I have posted on the forum. I have a thing for hot hatches - if the Golf with the 2.0 TDI and 6 speed manual-box ever makes it to India, I’d gladly hand over my cheque to VW India. All said and done, the co-driver seat of the car is reserved for Soumya who accompanies me for the travels we undertake from time to time. The child seat isn’t there yet!

It has been a great honour to join the Support Team - I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the moderators who have placed their trust on me while inviting me onboard. I trust you will extend your co-operation and support in maintaining the quality of the forum. Today, Team-BHP is what it is because of the members, the content and our unbiased approach towards the Indian automotive scene. I hope I will be able to add my bits to the useful discussions being posted onboard. Please feel free to contact me over PMs.

Thank you for reading and drive safe!

[SDP]

Hi, I am Sanjay. Age 42. Born and brought up in Mumbai. Absolutely love Mumbai! Schooling in RM Bhatt High School, 11/12th from Ruia College and electrical engineering at VJTI-Mumbai. Work in the IT industry since 20+ years. Married for 14 years now and have 2 kids (8 & 11 Years). Wife works in a bank and we are a nuclear family, so life is generally hectic.

Love books (I buy a lot and read a few of them) and cars (obviously). Love travelling. Love to Drive! Every year I look forward to a 8-10 day trip to a new state and a few quick getaways in monsoon. Unfortunately, anything more is not feasible due to my leave and kid's school constraints. Started driving at the age of 21 and own a 12 year Alto and a 4 year old XUV5OO currently. Including 2-wheeler experience, have easily clocked 2+ lakh kms till now. Ladakh is still a dream that I am working on. A bigger dream is driving in Europe over an extended vacation! Love photography! Got my first SLR 18 years back and own a Nikon D90 currently. Because I don't have any post-processing skills, I tend to be purist and try to get acceptable quality images directly from the camera. I also enjoy cycling, swimming & trekking. I prepare for and do crazy things like "100kms trekking in 36 hours" and "100kms cycling in ~5 hours" once in a while. Learnt swimming last year, at the age of 41.

Journey with TeamBHP started 7-8 years back and its been a great experience reading genuinely good quality original content (be it new car reviews, ownership logs or travelogues). Felt like I belong here and started contributing to the best of my knowledge and intelligence. Going by the invite to join the Distinguished-BHPian team 3 years back and the more recent invite to join as a TeamBHP Moderator, seems like the TeamBHP community and the Moderator team appreciates my small contributions. I have benefited immensely from TeamBHP, because of the no-nonsense nature of the forum. No junk, no spam, no sponsored messages, no biases (to the maximum extent humanly possible). Pure information and experience shared in plain English. Love the discipline in terms of not allowing ANYTHING that compromises the quality of the forum. Taking on the Moderator responsibilities is an attempt to pay back at least part of what I got from the forum.

That's it for now!

Regards
SDP

[SmartCat]

Hello folks, I'm Ashwin Iddya from Bangalore. Like everybody, my car craze started from age 4 or 5. Spent most of my childhood with a car/truck toy in hand and making V8 sounds. We always had a car at home - an Ambassador petrol with column shift, that my dad bought for Rs. 20,000 and sold for Rs. 40,000 twenty years later. Occassionally, my Dad used to drop me to school and that was very weird for me since nobody else owned a car . I always asked him to drop me near the school, but not at the gate! We got a 286 processor PC at home way back in 1992 and then 486 processor PC in 1996. No surprise then, but my favorite past-time was playing computer games like Stunts, Destruction Derby, Carmageddon and Need for Speed. Does anybody here remember Need for Speed: Porsche Unleashed?

Over time, we had Maruti 800, Maruti Zen and Hyundai Santro Xing in the family. When I turned 16 (ahem, no wait, 18!), I simply took the Maruti 800 keys without asking and drove with my elder brother in the passenger seat. I have fond memories of driving the Maruti Zen (PS) in college years. My personal rides:

- Hero Puch 2G
- Suzuki Samurai (inherited from my brother)
- Yamaha RXG (bought pre-owned)
- Chevrolet Optra 1.8 LT (my first car)
- Honda Civic 1.8 VMT (bought pre-owned)
- Maruti A-Star AT (second car, bought pre-owned)
- Honda BR-V CVT

I love driving and travelling (by car) and that's what made me sign up for Team-BHP. To pen down my travel exploits. I then slowly moved on to other sub-forums within Team-BHP and now, I'm addicted to it. I'm NOT a traditional car enthusiast though. I would rather read about or watch video reviews of Bajaj Qute/ Tata Nano/Renault Lodgy than Lamborghini Hurracan Performante/Koeinigsegg XXX. Cars that are accessible to everybody and solve problems. Now in my late thirties, I'm more interested in business side of automobile industry. Why? I will get to that now.

Professionally, I joined a VC funded startup after college (year 2000) as an internet marketing executive. But we mostly played Quake III Arena and didn't get much work done. Naturally, we ran out of money in less than 2 years. After that, I setup my own internet marketing company with a couple of friends and this time, we did much better. It took us 10 years to run out of cash. However, even when I was in college, I was primarily interested in stock market and how various businesses are run. Since 2011, I have been a "full time" stock market investor and derivatives trader. I spend most of the time reading about various topics. I might start reading about Porsche 911 and somehow end up reading about World War II. Darn Wikipedia. Amazingly, Team-BHP is my primary source of news about the Indian economy. You can get a pulse of what is happening by just spending some time in 'India Car Scene'. For me, spending time on Team-BHP is "work"!

I would like to thank GTO, Moderators, Distinguished BHPians (content champs) and most importantly, all the members for slowly building Team-BHP over the years. Don't hesitate to PM me if you need anything.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Feels strange to be writing an introduction after all these years, the BHPian in me turns a teenager in a couple of months! My life ever since has been an open book on the forum, or at least everything about automobiles.

Parents tell everyone that I've been crazy about vehicles ever since childhood - The best way to feed me was to stop my tricycle pretending to be a traffic cop who handed out a ball of rice rather than speeding tickets, the best way to make me fall asleep was to let me count the number of cars passing by. The first car in our family was a humble Maruti 800 back in 1999, which was upgraded to a WagonR in 2004, and later to a Hyundai Xcent in 2014. The first vehicle I got to own was a Bajaj Pulsar 180 back in 2006 during my early college days, soon after which I stumbled upon this forum. Got myself a FIAT Punto in 2012 soon before getting married, got a Hero Maestro in 2012 as well for the better half, and a Kawasaki Versys 650 in 2016 for myself - all three vehicles still doing their respective duties in the garage. I've been lucky to have done more than 3L kms combined driving / riding experience in all, with hopefully a lot more incident free miles ahead.

Have to thank the people in my life for feeding this passion - parents and now wife, all of them enthusiasts in their own right. Coming to think of it - I have to thank TeamBhp for all my present day friends as well!

On a personal front - I'm a Keralite (Mallu, incase you're wondering!) who spent the entire school and college time in the state itself, but later out moved out (as is typical once again) to Chennai for 6 years and currently settled in Bangalore since the last five years. I'm into the software industry as well like most young people of this city, and worked with two of the biggest MNCs till date - which has given me a good resume but a bad paycheque! I sometimes repent this decision of jumping into the software industry, because my life till 2008 had nothing to do with anything but automobiles, even did my engineering in this field - and then the curious cat in me just wanted to see how different was this new world that campus selection offered! Ended up a 10 year long affair now - made sane only because the forum and the vehicles i owned help me keep in touch with my passions. However, that said - I'm also thankful to my job for teaching me how to face challenges head on, and also to keep a cool head in tense situations.

The forum plays a very important role in my life - 1. Being that of a stress buster, 2. One stop source for all automotive information and especially the most unbiased of reviews available, and 3. As a platform that stands for us consumers and amplifies our voices so it is heard by the right people. Over the years, the forum and the support team have proved their unbiased stance and worth to me over multiple situations and threads - and I'm really glad to be asked to help the team strengthen the forum going forward. I hope the forum reaches even higher reputation levels - spreading wider across the industry in the nearby future.

Am I really a CrAzY dRiVeR on the roads? Not really, I have a rather mature driving / riding style compared to what the handle suggests, and before you ask - there is a real name as well. It's Sujai J.

PS: Please feel free to contact me over PM incase you need anything that I could help you with, regarding the forum or any queries regarding the vehicles I've owned.

[Chetan_Rao]

I'm Chetan, and I have no idea how to answer the 'Where are you from?' question!

Born to Kannadiga parents in M.P., we lived all over central and northern India before parents settled down in M.P. and I ended up in Bangalore chasing my bread & butter, so there's a part of me everywhere I've been, and I carry a part of everywhere I've been in me. Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, as my alma mater's motto proclaimed.

I'm a Business Operations professional and the bread & butter are of tolerable quality, which is all that needs to be said on the subject.

My earliest automotive memories, somewhat hazy in my head but lent clarity by family photo albums, are of my Dad's red & black Rajdoot motorcycle, which he had to sell off while I was still a toddler because I was reportedly too much of a handful to be managed on a bike. We brought home a Vespa T5, where I spent the majority of my early childhood riding up front on the footboard (until I got sleepy and swapped places with my sister nestled snugly between Ma & Dad). The T5 stayed with us for nearly two decades.

Dad, a petrolhead in his own right, loves to drive, so my adolescent years were spent road-tripping the length & breadth of the country in a variety of cars; scorching summer, rainy deluge or teeth-chattering winter, we'd all pile in and roam free at the slightest pretext. Our first car was a white Maruti 800, followed by a Premier 137D, Zen MPFi, Renault Logan, Hyundai Accent and a Ford Figo 1st gen that Dad still drives and wouldn't part with for a million bucks.

My favorite set of wheels to date remain my red & black BSA StreetCat bicycle that I rode the wheels off of as a young boy. Nothing I've ridden or driven since has given me quite the same rush of freedom. Close second was my Hero Puch automatic moped that put the wind in my hair in my late teens, and in remembrance, shares its license plate digits with my current ride.

Speaking of which, it's a white Tiago JTP, with red Mickey Mouse ears. My much smarter better half settled the 'What car?' debate by pointing at the JTP: 'This one, get the one with the red ears'. We both love it to bits and call it Tinku, in tribute to a dear canine friend.

I signed up on T-BHP nearly a decade ago, and my absolute favorite bit about it continues to be our steadfast refusal to engage monetarily with the automotive industry, while providing world class reviews and content that somehow keeps upping the bar with each passing year. This is now my second home, and I intend to stay a long, long while.

[vb-saan]

Greetings!

It was indeed a very pleasant surprise to get an invitation to be a Moderator; being a part of this journey for almost 10 years, it was a quick and easy decision to accept the responsibility.

I am Biju Vengalil, the name obviously give away the fact that I am from Kerala
Did my schooling and graduation in Thrissur, worked in Bangalore for a couple of years, moved to Singapore around end 2000, and been based in the region since then. Currently working with an International Travel & Security organisation, as a HR Process & Projects Head.

Team-bhp happened by accident, and I have been hooked this space since then. Not a surprise because I have a huge affinity for anything which is well-maintained and done with honesty and integrity. The amount of knowledge-sharing we have here is remarkable, whether it is on Indian and Global car scene or even something like TV streaming or weight-loss!

Used to ride a motorbike back home, but nowadays the interest is mostly in cars. More than 0-100 figures, I like cars and brands that still keep an identity and still focus on the driver engagement. I am also a keen observer on how passenger car markets are evolving globally and how those innovations and features are filtering down into the Indian car scene, especially on the safety aspect.

Other than cars, I try to catch-up on movies whenever I can – mostly Malayalam and Bollywood. Travel, culture and food are other areas of interest. Enjoy trying out different cuisines and always game for a good handcrafted coffee (not the Starbucks variety). Not much into playing any sports, but follows F1 and English Premier League (hint: YNWA).

Once again, really happy to be part of the moderators team, and thank you GTO and the moderators team for taking me in. Looking forward to contribute positively to maintain and upkeep the famed Team-bhp quality, and continue to engage in good discussions with the esteemed Bhpians worldwide.

[BlackPearl]

Introducing myself has been the toughest task till date, specially when it comes to Team-BHP. I had joined Team-BHP in 2005 and have not been able to put up an introduction till date. Partly because I am lazy, and partly because I have been waiting all these years to do something fruitful in life in order to feel good enough to post an introduction. But I could not escape forever. It is mandatory to post an introduction here after becoming a moderator!

I am Sumitro. Born and brought up in Calcutta, 39 year old, Electronics and Telecommunication engineer by education and a software programmer by profession. The big dream was to become a rally driver and participated in a few rallies as well. Went to a rally training session called Gill Drill way back in 2007 and did quite well. But it seems that the dream is going to remain just a dream as age is no longer on my side and money was never by my side!
I learned driving at an early age and attended several advanced driving and riding courses along with a few safety courses. I have driven hundreds of thousands of miles in India, USA, UK and Europe. People accuse me of being biased towards 4WD vehicles, but I love fast sedans and hatchbacks as much as I love the old school body on frame 4WD vehicles. In fact I love anything with wheels, from shoppings carts to suitcases to cars. All my suitcases have Live to Drive stickers on them
Apart from cars, I love to travel and am a big time foodie.

Coming back to dreams, one that is still alive is to settle in the Himalayas one day! Cannot find anything else to write about myself, in-spite of trying extremely hard.

Finally, it has been a great honour to join the Team-BHP Support group and hope to live up to the expectations. Requesting the continued support and co-operation of everyone in the Team-BHP family!

[Sheel]

Greetings!

I joined Team-BHP quite some time ago and started taking a keen interest when I was shopping for my first car and after that, there was no looking back. The forum's approach to all things automotive and other wise made me a lifelong fan. And now here I am with the added responsibility as a moderator, a token of thanks to the fellow moderators / founders of this beautiful and passionate forum. I will continue to contribute through quality support and content.

When it comes to automobiles, I am madly in love with motorbikes which go fast and corner just as well. Of recent, I have begun to appreciate 4WD SUVs with go anywhere capability, and that in my opinion is the most ideal way to tour the length and breadth of our country or maybe, the world. My ideal garage will have a compact, nimble street motorbike with an inline 4 engine, and a kitted-up body on frame Japanese SUV for 4-wheel duties.

I am barely ~150 kms away from hills. So at least twice a month, I ride there to enjoy the fresh, cool air and enjoy their delicacies.

I had my share of flings with metropolitan cities and now I am back to base for good.

Thanks for reading.

[Axe77]

Hi everyone.

Been a member here for more than a decade but never really posted an intro thread until I got elevated to the D Lair last year.

I’m a 45 year old professional based out of Mumbai. I was born and brought up in Delhi but moved to Bombay & Pune when I was around 15 years old. Spent my college years in Pune, a city I still have a close connection with courtesy my mum still maintaining a small base there where she spends part of her time - our primary home remains Mumbai though.

I’ve been nuts about all things wheels ever since I can remember. As a child it meant skates and bicycles and as an adult its pretty much everything with wheels that I can lay my hands on - from bicycles to cars to motorcycles - I even love zipping around on my N Torq scooter to be honest.

My professional life is fairly hectic and it means I can’t necessarily take all the kinds of road trips I’d otherwise love to - specially to remote, disconnected places. But I do love road trips and make up for it with whatever best I can muster. Covid has only meant that we’ve taken a lot more to the road in the absence of free movement by air or overseas and I’m not regretting that too much. Love the phase of being able to drive to a lot of my holidays. WFH also means ‘work from anywhere’ all too often so that again has facilitated taking many more road trips than we’ve ever taken in the past.

Since 2015, my primary hobbies revolve around endurance sports and I’d taken to running, triathlons and open water swimming. Have dabbled in full marathons, half Ironmans and up to 5 km in open water. Covid put a bit of a break on my training regimen, but I hope to get back on track on the training front this calendar. Fingers crossed.

My love for all things automobiles and this forum in particular meant I simply could not resist taking up the moderator role when Rush offered it up earlier this year. I look forward to this new avatar of my association with this forum and hope to contribute to it as best as can.

Cheers,
A.

[libranof1987]

Ladies and gentlemen,

It is quite the pleasure to be on Team-BHP, and now, even more so, as a Moderator. I’ve been a part of the forum for over a decade now and have thoroughly enjoyed contributing, and learning from it. The wealth of knowledge, across an immensely wide spectrum of topics, related to automobiles and otherwise, has been a continual delight. I often find myself reading about new car launches, to a neat DIY, then to fighter jets and then on to an entirely different topic, all within a day!

This, is to the credit of all the members, and all the Moderators. So, thank you! To that effect, I am sincerely glad to be on the Moderator team to further Team-BHP!

I grew up in Pune but have spent most of my adult life across India and abroad - studying, working and traveling. Armed with the cliched Engineering + MBA background, I now work in Advisory Consulting.

Automobiles have always fascinated me and while I am not the most technically-inclined, I find it very fulfilling to indulge in them - understand, maintain, and drive them beyond my heart’s content. What has kept me hooked is the the liberty of travel that automobiles offer - the ability to explore, immerse and gain perspective. Be it riding all over south India while in college, or driving across states to the ocean, mountain or someplace new, to hopping buses to destinations, to exploring countries by rail, road and air. An unimaginable privilege!

Beyond travel, I like to explore culture: so I’m up for theatre, plays and symphonies, music, trekking, reading, and aviation. Courtesy excellent threads and very knowledgeable members here, I've been able to further enrich my experience and understanding in them.

Being on this forum has led me to explore several hobbies and activities, and in equal measure, led to friendships I deeply cherish. All in all, a terrific place to be!

[Turbanator]

Fellow members,

My journey with TeamBhp started many Years ago; it went to active participation from casually browsing. I try my best to help others from whatever I know or can do for someone by nature. I feel at home on this forum, given how this has developed. Fellow members have great respect for each other, and we all feel proud to say that we are members of this portal.

I started driving a car way back in the eighties; I must have been twelve or thirteen when I sat in the car and my school friends pushed the car. I drove at slow speeds in the neutral across the street. Gradually, I could muster the courage and move the car in low gears. In later years, I will do the same with my Dad's Vijay Super scooter. Trust me; I have done more stunts on that scooter than I have on the bigger bikes I got later on. It reminds me of my friend who will say, "it's not important what car you drive but at what age."

I have lost more money by buying and selling cars than anything else (don't we all!) I started with Dad's Ambassador and then purchased a used old Maruti 800 (Original shape). This was around 1997; since then, I have been lucky to drive some of the best cars. For whatever reasons, I have been primarily loyal to Toyota, BMW and for a brief period to Mitsubishi. My First Mercedes car happened only a year back.

Apart from cars, my other hobby is Audio. Currently in the process of building my dream 2 Channel setup.

I never thought that I would move to this level here, and when the opportunity presented, I gladly accepted.