Adventure & Wildlife Magazine - Vol 1|Issue 5-6| Nov 16 - Jan 17 Vol 2 | Issue 1 | Mar - May 2017 | Page 18

ADVENTURE & WILDLIFE
Tribute
A tragic end to an illustrious Racing Career
O
ne of India’s most prominent
racers in the domestic
arena, Ashwin Sundar had been in the
professional car racing circuit for
over a decade.
A former national champion across
different categories, Ashwin Sundar
had first made his mark in the sport
by winning the 2002 MRF National
Go-Kart Championships (U-17 age
group) as a 13-year old, going on to
win the title again in 2003.
His
stock
grew
after
he
lifted the MRF Formula Mondial
National titles in 2003 and 2004.
In 2004, Ashwin Sundar went
on to make his debut in the
Formula FISSME (800 cc) and
Formula LGB series (1000 cc)
series, finishing fourth in the Indian
championship. In the process, he
became the youngest Formula LGB
driver at the time.
In 2006, he was adjudged
Champion of Champions in India
after winning the 115cc 4-stroke and
150cc 4-stroke titles.
The Chennai-born racer continued
to make his mark in the sport in the
later years. In 2007, Sundar became
the Indian champion in the For-
mula Hyundai and Formula Swift
categories, the first driver to win both
titles in the same season. He became
the champion at the MRF Formula
1600 International Challenge event
in 2010, repeating the feat in 2011.
In 2012 Sundar lifted the Formula
4 national title. A year later, Sundar
became the champion in MRF FF 1600
series. Professional car racer Ashwin
Sundar and his wife Nivedhitha were
charred to death after their BMW
car rammed a roadside tree on the
Santhome High Road in Chennai in
the early hours of 18th march 2017
18
Police said Sundar and his wife
were trapped inside the car as they
could not open the doors. The
car was stuck in between the tree
and a wall. The car caught fire,
and the couple were charred to
death. Sundar was driving the car.
Nivedhitha was a doctor working at a
private hospital.
Passersby, who saw the vehicle on
fire, alerted the Chennai city police
control room, and a team of police
personnel from the Adyar traffic
investigation wing rushed to the spot.
Sundar was 27 years of age at the time
of his death.
The Chennai-born racer
continued to make his mark
in the sport in the later years.
In 2007, Sundar became
the Indian champion in the
Formula
Hyundai
and
Formula Swift categories, the
first driver to win both titles in
the same season.
He became the champion
at the MRF Formula 1600
International Challenge event
in 2010, repeating the feat in
2011.
Vol 2|Issue 1|Mar - May 2017