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Joginder Singh (rally driver)
Encyclopedia
Sardar Joginder Singh Bhachu (born February 9, 1932 in Kericho
, Kenya
) was a successful endurance rally driver
in the 1960s and 1970s. He won the Safari Rally
three times, in 1965 driving a Volvo PV
544 with his brother Jaswant as co-driver, and in 1974 and 1976 driving a Mitsubishi Colt Lancer 1600 GSR.
in Nairobi
. His first work experience was as a spanner
boy in his father's garage, and he gained further experience as a mechanic in other organisations before becoming the Royal East African Automobile Association's first patrolman in 1958.
The first Asian driver ever to win an international rally, and also the first man to win the Safari Rally three times, he was fondly known as the "Flying Sikh" for his exploits behind the wheel. Although Uganda
n rival Shekhar Mehta
has more outright victories in the event, Singh's record of 19 finishes in 22 attempts is an unprecedented feat of consistency in what has been long regarded as the world's toughest rally, where the attrition rate can exceed 90%. He was even one of the so-called "Unsinkable Seven
" - the only crews in the 1968 event who were able to reach the finish at Nairobi
when the rest of the entire field of 74 were stranded on the Mau Escarpment
along the western rim of the Great Rift Valley
.
He had no motorsport experience until he was 26, but made up for his late start by eventually accumulating over sixty wins in the East African Rally Championships in Kenya
, Uganda
and Tanzania
. Aside from his three wins on the Safari Rally, he also scored three top five finishes in the Southern Cross Rally
in Australia
in the 1970s, and was twice awarded Kenya's Motor Sportsman of the Year title (1970, 1976).
His historic first Safari win in 1965 proved to be a triumph against expectations and a defiance of superstition. It was the 13th running of the event, and his car was given the number 1 which was at that time considered an unlucky number in the Safari. Nevertheless, there was only good fortune for Joginder and Jaswant, despite piloting the same Volvo which factory driver Tom Trana had used in 1963 and 1964 and which had clocked up 42,000 competitive miles on its odometer before the Bhachu brothers' victory.
Now retired, he spent many years as a resident in the United Kingdom
from the 1980s, but now lives in Canada
. He was present as a guest at the opening of the 50th running of the Safari Rally in 2002, and was appointed patron of the Safari Classic for 2007.
Kericho
Kericho is a Kenyan County located to the South West of the country and lies within the highlands west of The Great Rift Valley. The capital of the district is Kericho town. The district home to the best of Kenyan Tea which is world famous for its brightness, attractive color, brisk flavor and...
, Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
) was a successful endurance rally driver
Rallying
Rallying, also known as rally racing, is a form of auto racing that takes place on public or private roads with modified production or specially built road-legal cars...
in the 1960s and 1970s. He won the Safari Rally
Safari Rally
The Safari Rally is considered by many to be the world's toughest rally. It was first held from 27 May to 1 June 1953 as the East African Coronation Safari in Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika, as a celebration of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II...
three times, in 1965 driving a Volvo PV
Volvo PV
The Volvo PV is a series of two door, four passenger car models — the PV444 and the PV544 — made by Volvo from 1943 to 1966.During World War II's early stages, Volvo decided that a new smaller car delivering good fuel economy would assure the company's future...
544 with his brother Jaswant as co-driver, and in 1974 and 1976 driving a Mitsubishi Colt Lancer 1600 GSR.
Career
The eldest of ten children born to Sardar Battan Singh and Sardarni Swaran Kaur, he was educated at a boarding schoolBoarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
in Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
. His first work experience was as a spanner
Spanner
Spanner may refer to:* Spanner or wrench , a kind of hand tool* Spanner, brand of prostatic stent* Spanner , a type of screw drive that consists of two holes in the screw head and two pins on the tool...
boy in his father's garage, and he gained further experience as a mechanic in other organisations before becoming the Royal East African Automobile Association's first patrolman in 1958.
The first Asian driver ever to win an international rally, and also the first man to win the Safari Rally three times, he was fondly known as the "Flying Sikh" for his exploits behind the wheel. Although Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
n rival Shekhar Mehta
Shekhar Mehta
Chandrashekhar "Shekhar" Mehta was a Ugandan-born Kenyan rally driver. He won the Safari Rally a record five times , including four consecutively, and in 1981 finished fifth in the World Rally Championship...
has more outright victories in the event, Singh's record of 19 finishes in 22 attempts is an unprecedented feat of consistency in what has been long regarded as the world's toughest rally, where the attrition rate can exceed 90%. He was even one of the so-called "Unsinkable Seven
Unsinkable Seven
Unsinkable Seven was a nickname given to the seven drivers and co-drivers who managed to survive to finish the notoriously difficult East African Safari Rally that began and ended in Kenya, in the unusually difficult rallies of 1963 and 1968....
" - the only crews in the 1968 event who were able to reach the finish at Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
when the rest of the entire field of 74 were stranded on the Mau Escarpment
Mau Escarpment
The Mau Escarpment is a steep natural cliff approximately 3,000 m high, running along the western edge of the Great Rift Valley in Kenya.-External links:...
along the western rim of the Great Rift Valley
Great Rift Valley
The Great Rift Valley is a name given in the late 19th century by British explorer John Walter Gregory to the continuous geographic trench, approximately in length, that runs from northern Syria in Southwest Asia to central Mozambique in South East Africa...
.
He had no motorsport experience until he was 26, but made up for his late start by eventually accumulating over sixty wins in the East African Rally Championships in Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
, Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
and Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
. Aside from his three wins on the Safari Rally, he also scored three top five finishes in the Southern Cross Rally
Southern Cross Rally
The Southern Cross Rally was a major international rally mainly held in the Port Macquarie region of New South Wales, Australia, between 1966 and 1980. The rally attracted many of the world's leading rally drivers and factory teams....
in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in the 1970s, and was twice awarded Kenya's Motor Sportsman of the Year title (1970, 1976).
His historic first Safari win in 1965 proved to be a triumph against expectations and a defiance of superstition. It was the 13th running of the event, and his car was given the number 1 which was at that time considered an unlucky number in the Safari. Nevertheless, there was only good fortune for Joginder and Jaswant, despite piloting the same Volvo which factory driver Tom Trana had used in 1963 and 1964 and which had clocked up 42,000 competitive miles on its odometer before the Bhachu brothers' victory.
Now retired, he spent many years as a resident in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
from the 1980s, but now lives in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He was present as a guest at the opening of the 50th running of the Safari Rally in 2002, and was appointed patron of the Safari Classic for 2007.
WRC victories
| # | Event | Season | Co-driver | Car |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  22nd East African Safari Rally |
1974 | David Doig | Mitsubishi Colt Lancer Mitsubishi Colt The Mitsubishi Colt is a vehicle built by Mitsubishi Motors since 1962. It was first introduced as a series of kei cars and subcompact cars in the 1960s, and then as the export version of the Mitsubishi Mirage hatchback in the 1980s and 1990s... |
| 2 | 24th Safari Rally Safari Rally The Safari Rally is considered by many to be the world's toughest rally. It was first held from 27 May to 1 June 1953 as the East African Coronation Safari in Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika, as a celebration of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II... |
1976 | David Doig | Mitsubishi Lancer 1600 GSR |