Hot Wheels, miniature cars, scale models – Chetan Korada could never get enough of them. From drawing race cars on any paper he could get his hands on to the thunderous roar of a revving race car engine, cars always held a special place in the professional racer’s heart. It didn’t take long for his mother to realise that this wasn’t just a phase. She encouraged him to pursue his passion for racing and take it up professionally – that’s how Chetan got into go-karting and later on, formally enrolled into a racing academy.
Not Letting ‘Prosthetic’ Define Him
His confident stance while he’s racing, casually seated astride his machine, or taking selfies with car-crazy youngsters doesn’t give an inkling of the challenges he’s faced or his sheer grit and determination. It is this ‘never say die’ attitude and extraordinary mental strength that has made racing with prosthetic legs second nature for him.
Chetan Korada is the only racer in the world to win a race with artificial limbs. This includes being the first in Asia and second in the world to compete in the sport as a bilateral amputee. He has attained laurels without resorting to specially engineered cars, competing on equal footing with his peers.
His skill and perseverance have led him to podium finishes and opened up many opportunities for him in his life and career – be it sponsorship, motivational speaking, training aspiring racers, or pursuing business.
A Decade and More With QNET
Any athlete understands the key role that a great sponsor plays in supporting their aspirations. It’s an ideal partnership where the sponsor is a rock-solid presence behind the athlete’s energy and potential, supporting them at every step of their journey.
For Chetan, this turning point came with a sponsorship from QNET in 2011. His trusty red and white speedster with the QNET logo adorned on it has rarely let him down. Over the last 14 years, the partnership has helped him steadily advance his racing career and reach new heights.
With Chetan as brand ambassador, QNET has been able to reach a young, dynamic audience and highlight their support for inclusivity in sports. This support has also given him exposure at the right forums, enabling him to use his success and influence to develop local talent.
Read More: QNET Brand Ambassador Chetan Korada – Excellence Has No Boundaries
Nurturing a Love for Racing
While winning and losing is part of the game, having the right mentor to train, guide, and explain the nuances can be game-changing. For Chetan, training with former F3 champion Akbar Ebrahim helped him crack the code to podium finishes. With this invaluable experience in his bag, he’s now doing what he can to pass the mantle by training keen aspirants.
Across different forums – from TEDx talks to academia forums – he navigates through his experiences to inspire youngsters to always pursue their passion and to consider sports professionally.
His advice – build physical and mental endurance and you’ll find success. Collaborating with like-minded sponsors like QNET India, staying true to yourself and building your personal brand, effective networking at key industry events, and backing from local businesses will cohesively accelerate and give momentum to your sporting career.
Supporting the Future of Racing in India
Motorsport is still in its infancy in India. The setup of the Buddh International Circuit, greater promotion of the sport, innovations in indigenous racecar design, wider athlete focus, and growing interest in Formula 1 and MotoGP have the potential to establish racing as a serious, professional sport in India.
The next step? To create awareness of para-athletes in motor racing and promote inclusivity, diversity, and inspire a whole generation of athletes and enthusiasts.
The need of the hour truly is to dynamically promote the sport, invest in building world-class infrastructure, and offer more platforms for aspiring racers. Interacting with players at periodic, branded domestic racing events along with state-of-the-art training facilities will not only provide a platform to harness talent but also help foster genuine interest in the sport.
