Sisters in the fast lane

Sabi Hussain

Tribune News Service

Jaisalmer, April 9

Driving a Gypsy equipped with a 1.6-litre T2 (stock or non-modified) engine, Chandigarh’s Anu Rana expertly negotiated a sharp gravel curve during Stage 1 of the Xtreme category in the India Baja 2017 Dakar Challenger Series here. Aided by her navigator and younger sister, Poonam Rana, Anu skilfully handled the treacherous terrain, overtaking a seventh competitor within the first hour of the opening stage after starting off 26th. 

Taming the uncertain terrain of Jaisalmer’s tricky sand dunes and braving extreme temperatures running into high 40°Cs, Anu and Poonam were driving towards Stage 1’s finish line at Banda area when their Gypsy broke down due to a malfunctioning fuel pipeline.

The two sisters quickly got down to fixing the problem, helplessly watching their nearest competitors zoom past them one after another. They eventually repaired the faulty pipeline, but they lost crucial time — due to this, they couldn’t reach the start of the second stage at the approved time. This resulted in a ‘Did Not Finish’ categorisation for the sisters, ending their hope of competing for the title. They did restart for the final two stages (fifth and sixth) today, but their timing wasn’t included in the final standings.

Disappointment

The disappointment at falling short of their own expectations was palpable on their faces. This was the first time the Rana sisters had failed to climb up the podium at a cross-country rally since starting to participate competitively in 2014. India Baja Rally was Anu and Poonam’s sixth motor racing event as driver and navigator, and the two had been on the podium on all five occasions previously in the T2 and ladies categories.

“We had promised our mother that we would bring home the trophy, but the result was extremely disappointing,” Anu told The Tribune. “We had all areas covered while testing the Gypsy, but we hit a rocky sand dune and it resulted in the leakage. We drove for passion today and it would be no different in future as well.”

Anu and Poonam were the only women participants among 32 competitors in the Xtreme category. In the Moto (two-wheeler) category, another Chandigarh girl, Sarah Kashyap, was the lone woman participant.

Driving passion

Right from their childhood, driving was a passion for Anu, 33, and Poonam, 31. Breaking into the male bastion of off-road racing in the country, the duo successfully removed the initial fears and doubts expressed by their parents with their grit and determination.

“Being girl drivers, there were certain apprehensions. Our parents would say, ‘Why do you have to go on such long trips for so many days, the sport is not meant for women’,” said Anu. 

“But seeing our passion, our parents soon realised that this is what we are best at. We are not less than the male competitors,” added Anu, who started driving at age nine.

Anu’s passion for cross-country rallying led to her meeting with her soulmate, 35-year-old Jas Mohan Singh, during the 2014 Raid de Himalaya. “Our racing background helped us to connect well. He’s always there for me, offering me invaluable tips on how to improve my driving skills,” said Anu. “I would love to be his navigator one day, with him driving.”

Jas Mohan is a two-time Desert Storm car rally champion and has finished on the podium in both Raid de Himalaya and Dakshin Dare rallies.

Both Anu and Poonam have full-time jobs with multinational companies — Anu is a Finance Manager with an outdoor media company, and Poonam is a marketing manager with Canon. 

How do they find the time to compete in such gruelling races? “At times, it’s really challenging. We manage our holidays according to rally schedules,” Poonam said. “We both carry our laptops with us and do our work even while participating in the rallies. We are trying to convert our passion into full-time profession. Racing is what we are born for.”