Aravind KP finally gets a Dakar 2017 seat with TVS Racing

In 2012, a crash during a practice session shattered his hip, breaking the pelvic socket. For a normal guy, even a seasoned racer, that would’ve meant Game Over. Aravind however underwent hip reconstruction surgery, and in less than a year returned back to racing like nothing had changed, apart from the bunch of nuts and bolts in his groin of course.

30-year-old Aravind KP is all set to become the second Indian to do Dakar, with Sherco TVS Rally Factory team. CS Santosh, who did the Dakar in 2015 and 2016 with the same team, moves to Hero Motorsports for next year.

Aravind KP, who has been associated with TVS Racing for the last 10 years, has proven his skill time and again at both national and international stages. Starting his racing career in 2006, Aravind steadily rose through the ranks, and became the first Indian to win an international motocross championship in 2011, defeating CS Santosh and a host of other riders to take the Sri Lanka Association of Racing Drivers and Riders championship. Winning this event got him an all-expense paid trip to watch the Dakar, and 6 years later, he’ll be back there again, but this time others will be watching him.

Aravind has an impressive list of wins under his belt that include winning 2 classes in the National Supercross Championship, winning the Rally of Karnataka, and most importantly, winning the Raid de Himalaya, among 12 other national titles and scores of regional ones. I’m actually surprised it took him this long to transition on to the Dakar bandwagon, but then again the financial, physical and mental preparation for the toughest rally-raid in the world can’t be too easy, being more or less impossible without factory support.

I’m sure he’ll do wonders at Dakar 2017, given the experience TVS already has with the race, and the sheer balls he has shown over the years. In 2012, a crash during a practice session shattered his hip, breaking the pelvic socket. For a normal guy, even a seasoned racer, that would’ve meant Game Over. Aravind however underwent hip reconstruction surgery, and in less than a year returned back to racing like nothing had changed, apart from the bunch of nuts and bolts in his groin of course.

Tonnes of appreciation for TVS as well, who’ve consistently helped racers across the country grow, be it on road or off it. Things haven’t been too rosy for Indian motorcyclists for a while, but looks like the future will be much more fun. Good luck to Aravind and his team for Dakar! Follow his Facebook page here and show him some love, God knows our motorsports people deserve every inch of it.

Photos and content courtesy Autox.in and Motoxindia.com