Narain Karthikeyan
Chennai: The Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI) will recommend India’s first Formula One driver Narain Karthikeyan for an Arjuna Award, it was announced here Saturday.
FMSCI president Rajat Majumdar, speaking to the media after a two-day brainstorming session here said: “Narain Karthikeyan, who put India on the world motorsport map, fully deserves an Arjuna Award and the FMSCI has decided to recommend his name to the Government of India.’’
"We are currently processing our recommendation which we hope to submit shortly,” he added.
Formula One 2008
He pointed out that no one from the motorsports arena had ever received the prestigious Arjuna Award and was hopeful that Karthikeyan, who drove for the Jordan team for one season, would be the first such recipient.
FMSCI, which regained the status of a national federation following the decision of the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) to de-recognise rival body Motor Sports Association of India (MAI), would not be indulging in any vindictive acts, the official said.
“The FMSCI will honour the licenses issued by the MAI and allow them to run until their expiry on December 31, 2008. We also would not like to disturb the calendar of events drawn up by the MAI,” said Majumdar while hinting that FMSCI would rather reconcile with its rival.
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“If in future, if MAI wishes to conduct any events, we certainly will not come in the way,” he added.
However, the MAI has appealed the FIA decision and the hearing is scheduled for July 29 in Paris. FMSCI is confident the appeal would be rejected.
Majumdar pledged greater transparency in FMSCI’s functioning and said every effort would be made to attract more sponsors to support its motor sport activities while passing on the benefits to the competitors.
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