Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)
Mangaluru, Feb 17: Prestigious national level car racing contest, 'Baja SAE 2015' is purely meant for students of engineering colleges. Backed by determination to make an impact of their own, students from Canara Engineering College at Benjanapadavu here have designed a unique four-wheeler, which they have aptly titled, 'Astra'.
This year, Canara Engineering College has entered this off road racing competition being conducted on annual basis by the 'Society of Automotive Engineers' since 2007. In the first phase of this two-phased competition, which was held at Gujarat, Canara College had emerged as the top team in entire India. The second and final phase is scheduled to take place at Pitampura, Madhya Pradesh, from February 19 to 22.
The 'CEC Motor Sports' team comprising 22 students from final year mechanical engineering degree, led by B Sudesh Shetty. has prepared this car christened 'Astra' by spending four lac rupees, duly taking care to ensure that its design conforms to the international level Baja car design. For better pickup, it has been equipped with 25" tyres, a light chassis weighing just 60 kg, as well as TIG welded joints help the car to achieve optimum efficiency. It has a speed of 55 km per hour, and can carry a load of 250 kg,and has five gears including reverse. The way the car negotiates ups, downs and bends smoothly provides feast to the eyes of fans of this kind of motor designs.
'Astra' is among about 120 racing cars chosen for the final phase. Out of nine engineering colleges competing in this sector from Karnataka, four are from Dakshina Kannada district.
Individual brilliance of participating students, team work, and single-minded determination to overcome all technical hitches the team faced during different stages of building this car, have enabled Canara Engineering College students to build a car that has taken a place of pride at the national level. This car had successfully competed in the ten-stage preliminary stage of the competition, besides fulfilling all the conditions prescribed by the organizers. At the trial show organized by the college at its compound, the car came in for lavish praise by those who had gathered there to witness this marvellous creation, by moving through hilly terrain and slopes with aplomb.
The team is now fully geared up for the final plunge, backed by the best wishes of the college managing committee, principal, Dr Ganesh Bhat, and others. All the eyes are now riveted at the achievements it is expected to register at the final leg of this racing event.
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