Monday, August 10, 2009

Gaurav Jani : The Man of Steel

I have been inspired by many people in this world, first & foremost by my mother; the list also includes Che Guevara, Bhagat Singh, Michael Jordan, Sachin Tendulkar & my brother…

The list got a new addition yesterday…Gaurav Jani…



For the uninitiated he is the founder member of 2 great organizations… www.60kph.com & www.dirttrackproductions.com …I had heard about him from a fellow biker named Dipesh Shah aka WildChild who is a 60kph member himself during our chats and later when we met in Ooty during the RM-09…

Gaurav can best be described as a wanderer. He used to work as assistant director to Bollywood director Ram Gopal Varma but soon realized all he wanted to do was ride the highways. So he purchased an Enfield and set off and rest as they say is History…

He is the critically acclaimed Director of 2 Biking Movies/Documentaries named…”One Crazy Ride” & “ Riding Solo to the Top of the World” and I had the privilege to watch these 2 movies in the Siri Fort Auditorium in Delhi yesterday with fellow 500 biking enthusiasts and my BOP club members…

Both the movies are full of inspirational stories, bike breakdowns, riders’ bonhomie, farewells and re-unions, tough roads or at time no roads!!!, lost directions, meetings with strangers, exploring the unexplored, eating the weirdest of things, snakes on the roads, landslides and what not…but most importantly atleast for me both the movies are all about the indomitable human spirit and a never say-die attitude…




Gaurav displays both of them in tonnes & tonnes…be it completing the Arunachal Ride all-alone after bidding farewell to 4 of his buddies who had to leave the ride midway or not listening to the locals in Ladakh and reaching the southern-most point of the Changthang Plateau…some might call him a crazy vagabond but for me he is what a real biker is…not following the treaded path but charting out roads on his own…



And the best part about Jani is that he smashes the much publicized & glorified image of a Biker to bits, the ones people think wear leather jackets, sunglasses & a rugged-rowdy image…he is one of the most simple & down-to-earth human being you would ever find and doesn’t have a single self-pride streak in his body…

I am sure he is an inspiration to loads of people out there and these movie screenings would slowly but surely change the mindsets of people who think Bikers are irresponsible citizens of the country who transverse the highways without any rhyme or reason…no guys we are not even remotely close to that…watch the movies to see what fellow bikers have achieved…

I have already planned a North-East Ride in 2011 and let’s see if I can follow in Jani’s footsteps…still loads of time away but you never know…even I have a crazy mind!!!

You can know more about Gaurav & his adventures at:
1. http://www.rediff.com/news/2003/dec/23spec.htm
2. http://twitter.com/dirttrackprod
3. http://www.facebook.com/people/Gaurav-Jani/521331390
4. http://www.dirttrackproductions.com/trailers/ridingsolo/index.html
5. Phone : +91 9833013039
6. Email : gaurav@dirttrackproductions.com



I am anxiously waiting for his 3rd Movie to be released in 2010 and hopefully to watch it again on a big screen!!!

Till the next time we meet again…

Che would be back on the road again

Have safe sex & ride safe…

Hasta la Victoria Siempre…

7 comments:

Sanket Tomar said...

yeah...truly an inspiration for most of us....and nice writeup DADA....

Dinkar said...

Even a non biker was there... and loved it... Cant express what I am missing in life.. :-(

Unknown said...

Well said Jha ..... Its a grt Step forward for BIKERS image ....
Even i would love 2 join him someday .... other other...

Cheers ....

dhruv malik said...

Inspirational movie iz d least i cud say...a man hd a dream n he achieved it come wot may in his path to glory!!

dis blog iz a small praise to Mr.Gaurav Jani frm BOP!!

Miles Waiting said...

Jani indeed is a person with nerves of steel... as he rides the roads less travelled, he actually paves a path for everyone, be it a biker or a non-biker...
Hope, Faith and Belief is what Jani has to offer and he uses his bike to deliver all this to the world that watches...
Cheers

Rahul (G-raptor Mouthshut) said...

Amazing guy........ and an equally amazing write-up......... a huge inspiration for bikers all over India!!!

Binod Jha said...

Hi Young Guys!!!
I went through the complete write up. Awesome, to say the least. I scrolled over all the 499 photographs posted by Nishant. It reminded me of all those places I covered in my military career spanning 22 years. Great spirits. Carry On.Allow me to scribble my thoughts penned down a couple of years ago_

YOUNG INDIA

Young India, on a winning spree,
Galloping youth, ambitions profound.
Acquiring the world with cheerful glee,
Humbling all giants, with success around..

Soaring desires for unbridled success,
Driving the passion to grow untamed;
World in trance, scrambling for access,
To human treasures and success - so famed.

Can she be young at sixty and smile,
When thousands of cuts and bruises bring pain??
Her worthy old sons belied her hopes,
"Freedom and Justice for all?" in vain.

YOUTH, you shine and lead the way,
Leaders with stains you cast away.
Let the tempest cross all borders,
N' blow with frenzy and rule the day!!

I wish I could join you all sometime....