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CS Santosh

Overview

Chunchunguppe Shivashankarappa Santosh, popularly known as CS Santosh, is an Indian competitive motorcyclist from Bengaluru, Karnataka. He is widely regarded as a pioneer of off-road and rally motorsport in India, and is best known for being the first Indian to start and finish the Dakar Rally, one of the toughest endurance rally raids in the world.

Key Facts

Full name Chunchunguppe Shivashankarappa Santosh
Known as CS Santosh
Nationality Indian
Hometown Bengaluru, Karnataka
Sport Motorcycling (rally raid, cross-country rally, supercross, enduro)
Notable team Hero MotoSports Team Rally
Notable event Dakar Rally

Background

Santosh was born and raised in Bengaluru. He took to motorcycling early in life and progressed through Indian domestic motorsport disciplines, competing in supercross, enduro and cross-country events before moving on to international rally raids. Over the course of his career he has won multiple national-level titles in supercross and national rally championships in India, establishing himself as one of the country's most decorated off-road riders.

Career

Domestic motorsport

Santosh built his early reputation in Indian off-road racing, winning National Supercross Championship titles and competing in the Indian National Rally Championship and the Raid de Himalaya, a high-altitude cross-country rally held across the Indian Himalayas. These events served as a stepping stone to international competition.

Dakar Rally

Santosh became the first Indian to compete in the Dakar Rally when he lined up at the 2015 edition, held across Argentina, Bolivia and Chile. He completed the rally and went on to participate in multiple subsequent editions, becoming a fixture in the motorcycle category of the event. His sustained presence at Dakar is regarded as a milestone for Indian motorsport.

Hero MotoSports Team Rally

Santosh joined Hero MotoSports Team Rally as one of its founding riders when the Indian manufacturer Hero MotoCorp launched its factory rally programme. As part of the team, he competed in events on the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship calendar, including rallies in Morocco, Abu Dhabi, and other rounds across the Middle East, North Africa and Latin America.

2021 Dakar crash

During Stage 4 of the 2021 Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia, Santosh suffered a high-speed crash and was airlifted for medical treatment. He was placed in a medically induced coma for several days before recovering. He subsequently returned to competitive riding.

Significance

CS Santosh is considered a trailblazer for Indian motorsport on the global stage. By becoming the first Indian to take part in the Dakar Rally and by anchoring a factory team representing an Indian manufacturer in international rally raids, he has helped open the discipline to a new generation of Indian riders. His career has also contributed to greater media visibility for off-road motorcycling within India.

References