Indian motorsport legend Nazir Hoosein has been selected as one of 14 winners of FIVA’s (Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens) Heritage Hall of Fame awards. FIVA is a global organisation dedicated to the protection, preservation and promotion of historic vehicles and related culture. As per the body, this newly-announced award “celebrates both world-famous figures as well as unsung heroes in the history of the automobile.”

• Hoosein founded the legendary Himalayan Rally
• Put India on the global motorsport map
• Osamu Suzuki, Marcello Gandini among the other winners

Nazir Hoosein among the first winners of the FIVA Hall of Fame

In the first year of FIVA’s Hall of Fame initiative, individuals were first nominated by FIVA clubs across the globe, from which 14 individuals were selected by a panel of international judges.

Explaining the award, FIVA President Tiddo Bresters said, “Not every hero of the motoring world is a household name. Induction into the FIVA Heritage Hall of Fame is a tribute to an individual’s genuine lifetime achievements, but it’s a very personal selection. It reflects the opinions of FIVA clubs around the world, who nominated their own favourite national figures. Some of these heroes are world-famous, others are names you might not know – but each has made a real and long-lasting impact on automotive history.”

Nazir Hoosein’s legacy

Nazir Hoosein served as the motorsport administrator and vice-president of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) for several years. In 1980, he founded the Himalayan Rally Association and started the Himalayan Rally. He also conceived the Great Desert Himalayan Rally, which, at 4,000km long, was a rally longer than any India had ever played host to. He was responsible for putting India on the international motorsport map.

Hoosein also played an important role on the global motorsport stage, as he was a member of the World Motor Sport Council, the chief steward in the World Rally Championship, and also one of four permanent F1 stewards for many years.

He passed away on May 12, 2019, at the age of 78 after a prolonged battle with an illness.

The Nazir Hoosein Memorial Drive, scheduled for November 7-14 later this year, will see the community of Himalayan Rally ex-participants, volunteers and officials come together to pay homage to Hoosein.

FIVA Heritage Hall of Fame winners

The other individuals inducted into the FIVA Heritage Hall of Fame include Osamu Suzuki, the former Chairman of Suzuki Motor Corporation. He recently stepped down from the role, after heading the brand for more than four decades.

Renowned automotive designers Marcello Gandini and Giorgetto Giugiaro and former Ferrari F1 designer Mauro Forghieri also feature on the list of winners.