From Farmlands To Flying Cars: How Sanjay Takale Drives India Into Dakar And The Skies

Sometimes, when you let your dreams fly, they really do take flight. That’s the story of Sanjay Takale — India’s trailblazing rally driver and aviation mobility visionary. He became the first Indian to finish the Dakar Rally on four wheels, and over a motorsport career spanning more than 35 years, the 57-year-old has quietly etched his name into various chapters of national motorsport history. And one of his most unexpected turns? Contributing to the development of a flying car. Yes, really.

A kid from the farmlands of Manjri, a village near Pune, Takale first discovered the thrill of speed behind the wheel of tractors and even bullock carts. That same kid would go on to claim 42 podiums from 48 rallies across the globe. “It’s a very funny story, actually,” Takale narrated in an interview with Outlook India, when asked how it all began.

A Dream Was Born

Born in 1968, Takale spent most of his childhood in a military boarding school, but it was during his holidays back home in Manjri that his story began to take shape.

Sanjay was in 6th standard when he saw rally cars leaping and drifting across rugged terrain on a grainy screen. No Indian drivers were there. "But those cars, they were flying, going sideways. I’d never seen anything like it. And that was it. I was hooked.”

The spark was instant. “From that day on, everything I did had to be fast,” he laughed. Back then, India was still watching the world through black-and-white antenna TVs. It was a country finding its footing just three decades after Independence, where cricket and hockey dominated every conversation. Dreaming about racing cars? That wasn’t just rare — it was almost unthinkable.

His parents didn’t approve. Friends and relatives dismissed him as 'pagal (mad)'. Sanjay chuckles, “I was the black sheep, basically.”

And in motorsport, dreams alone don’t get you far — you need a machine. So, what did Sanjay do?

“I’d race on my bicycle, roll tyres down the street as fast as I could. We had a tractor and even a bullock cart. I tried my hand at both. My father thought I’d gone mad.”

'Farming and racing practice can't go hand-in-hand,’ someone told Sanjay, "Why not try?" Sanjay recalled with a grin. “So, I did. I tried to drift a bullock cart. Then I tried the tractor. I’d even skid around on my bicycle just to feel that rush.”

That was his first real introduction to the idea of motorsport — not through race cars or professional tracks, but through everyday objects and a childlike curiosity.

“Even in school, I was always fast: whether it was studies, outdoor games, or sports. I just loved speed,” he said. “That fascination, that raw obsession with going fast, started somewhere between 6th and 7th standard. And it never left me.”

As Sanjay moved into college, the passion only deepened. “That’s when I got my first bike,” he smiled. “And that really changed everything.”

“We had a bike at home, which we used to transport milk to the villages. That bike is where it all started for me. I began riding fast,” he recalled. People? They talked, of course. “It’s not safe,” they said. “You’ll meet with an accident. Don’t ride that fast.” But he was passionate. Enough.

Earning First Bike, Scoring His First Win And Beyond

At 18, as soon as it was legal, he got his licence and woosh! Takale joined the Pune Automotive Racing Association, a local motorcycle club where he embarked on his racing journey, professionally.

In India, not many people pursue motorsports because there are challenges, especially financial ones. And Takale was not an exception. At first, he had to "borrow from the bank". Sometimes, he had to steal petrol from his father’s car, sell scrap to fund bike suspensions. He even worked on farms to earn money.

"Everyone was against it — my father told me, 'You’ll break your hands and legs. If you like automobiles, open a garage instead.' We had land near the highway, and that was the safer route. Racing was seen as dangerous and inappropriate for a farming family."

Working on the fields was turned into a racing training. Normally, we’d plough one acre a day but the racer from Manjri used to do three. "I understood tractors well: hydraulics, gears, everything. I started doing everything fast. Eventually, I transitioned into professional biking and competed across India — in Indore, Baroda, Delhi, Bangalore (now Bengaluru), and more — between 1987 and 2001," said the 57-year-old.

Racing was a part-time dream job alongside which he completed B.Com and a law degree. "I never practised law, but I earned the degree to satisfy my family. They were always concerned that I should have something to fall back on, something to put food on the table."

Does India Stand By The Racer's Side?

Now, when it comes to being the lone warrior from India at many global podiums, did he get any support from the country?

"Yes, the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI) supports us. Every sport has its federation, and FMSCI has done a good job. I’ve seen 38 years of motorsport, from the Jawa and Bullet racing era to today's superbikes and rally cars. I’ve seen Fiat and Premier Padmini cars used in rallies; vehicles that were never meant for racing! I've witnessed the evolution from black-and-white days to the modern era."

How Is India Doing In The World Of Motorsports?

"We’ve come a long way as a third-world country, and I think India has done very well. There are more Indians doing well internationally now — Narain Karthikeyan, Karun Chandhok, Gaurav Gill, and others."

What else can India do to promote motorsports among the youth?

"There’s already a lot happening: karting championships, young driver programs, and opportunities for sponsorships. But the awareness is lacking. The media and government need to market motorsports better.

"Every Sunday, you’ll find at least 20 racing events across India. It’s just not being covered. There should be more telecasts, more media coverage. Now, some channels and YouTubers are stepping in, but a broader push is needed," Takale added.

Cars Ready To Fly

A flying car? Yes. "We can give wings to the cars".

Here's how the motorsport dreams of Sanjay met aviation innovation. “I’ve always seen racing as a testbed for what’s next in mobility,” he says. And now, he’s helping build that future from the ground up.

Sanjay is the chief advisory officer at Aerpace Industries where they want to make sure vehicles don’t just drive, they fly — basically an all-electric flying car ecosystem in India. The practical flying car system is designed for real-world use, not science fiction. Alongside it is SuperWing, a vertical flight platform capable of airlifting in cities, in rural areas, in emergencies.

But Takale is quick to point out that these machines are just the tip of the wing.

“A flying car without the right launchpads, charging stations, AI traffic control, or safety protocols is just a science project. We’re working on the entire pipeline, from airspace mapping to public integration.”

The ecosystem also includes ground-based control hubs, hybrid pilot-autonomy systems, and partnerships with municipal bodies for air corridors and emergency routing. In essence, Takale is helping reimagine how people and resources move in the 21st century.

The aerCar features an integrated drone-style parachute system that deploys in emergencies, allowing the vehicle to descend safely from the air. It will function like a drone with a cabin inside that can transport up to eight people.

The goal is to revolutionize how we navigate urban chaos and emergencies. “Using the same transceiver tech that supports drone navigation, we’re creating an aerial highway,” says Takale. In dense traffic zones, the aerCar can bypass roadblocks entirely, and reroute mid-air, while in medical emergencies, it can serve as an air ambulance, cutting critical minutes off response times and reaching places conventional vehicles can't.

His entry into the Aerpace setup began in 2021, when he joined Aerpace Racers, the company’s motorsport and R&D wing. By the time he raced for India at the FIA Motorsport Games 2022 in France, it was clear that Takale wasn’t just a driver anymore; he was a catalyst for something bigger. For his dreams. For India.

Sanjay is currently gearing up for his second Dakar Rally. Last time, he made history by becoming the first Indian to finish the gruelling race in a four-wheeler.