[anjan_c2007]

In this thread we can discuss about the Indian VIP cars of yore. There's a thread on Foreign VIP owned cars but I found such a thread lacking for Indian VIP's and hence this new one!

I found this post on What's App presumably posted and circulated by the restorer. It generated only a marginal interest amongst the members, but the car belonged to one of the most prominent figures in modern Indian history.

The post quoted verbatim:-

Restored Kamarajar ayya's 1952 Chevrolet styline deluxe car (MDT 2727) in a record time of just 30days.

This restoration is completely sponsored by Team - Torque max automotive, Krishnagiri, as a tribute to the legacy of the great leader

This 1952 Chevrolet Styleline Deluxe belonged to the late Mr K. Kamaraj (1903- 1975), the most fertile and prominent think-tank of the then Indian National Congress (INC) in the 1960's and early 1970's. I won't go into much of politics, but Kingmaker Mr Kamaraj's words and thoughts were music to the ears and eyes of our then Prime Minister, Mrs Indira Gandhi. The INC had split in the late 1960's as the Congress (O) and the other faction was headed by Mr Sanjeeva Reddy known as the Congress (R). The split to tackle rebels was very much a result of Mr K.Kamaraj's astute planning and had backing of Mrs Gandhi. He was Chief Minister of Madras state for nine years (1954-63) and was instrumental in the elevation of Mr Lal Bahadur Shastri and Mrs Gandhi as Prime Ministers. Mr Kamaraj was President of the INC and INC(O) too in the 1960's and 1970's.

Back to the car, it is legendary and has been a part of the life and times of Mr K.Kamaraj who was also fondly addressed as Perun Thalaivar. It gets all the accolades for surfacing, obtaining its apt identification tag and getting restored.

[anjan_c2007]

Some more pictures of the beauty one old and others in it's restored condition now, have surfaced.











Mr K.Kamaraj was Gandhian and an old generation politician, known for his unimpeachable integrity. He had very basic, frugal and spartan possessions of his own and there are views that say this beauty was allocated to the great leader as his official car.

[Sanidhya mukund]

Interesting thread idea!

This discussion is incomplete without a mention of Lal Bahadur Shastri’s Fiat 1100. The car is still alive and preserved beautifully at his Memorial in New Delhi. Quite an interesting story too:

Even after becoming the Prime Minister, Shastriji did not own a car though the family members had been pestering him for one. He wanted his secretary to find out how much a Fiat car cost. The price was found to be Rs 12,000, but he had only Rs 7,000 in the bank. He applied to a bank for a loan, which was sanctioned in one and a half hours.

Shastriji promptly summoned the bank officer who had sanctioned the loan to his office to inquire if the bank was as prompt in sanctioning loans to other people as well. He advised the officer to be prompt in meeting the requirement of the bank’s customers.

Source: https://www.dailypioneer.com/2013/st...about-him.html


Source: Team-BHP thread on Fiats.


Then there’s also this Wanderer that was used by Subhash Chandra Bose for his historic ‘escape’:

https://youtu.be/Htkbl34Jo3s

While the above two are lucky to have been restored/ preserved, the car belonging to the great poet and freedom fighter, Rabindranath Tagore hasn’t been as lucky:

The vehicle now lies at the Uttarayan complex of the university, covered under layers of dust, rusted by humidity and crumbling from decades of disrepair.

Source:https://m.timesofindia.com/city/kolk...ow/3473409.cms

[V.Narayan]

Originally Posted by anjan_c2007

In this thread we can discuss about the Indian VIP cars of yore. There's a thread on Foreign VIP owned cars but I found such a thread lacking for Indian VIP's and hence this new one!

A very apt thread for us to hold pride in our own recent history.

Originally Posted by Sanidhya mukund

This discussion is incomplete without a mention of Lal Bahadur Shastri’s Fiat 1100. The car is still alive and preserved beautifully at his Memorial in New Delhi. Quite an interesting story too:

When you see this car one realizes that the 1960s were not so far back in time but are very far back in public values & ethics.

Then there’s also this Wanderer that was used by Subhash Chandra Bose for his historic ‘escape’:

https://youtu.be/Htkbl34Jo3s

Watching the video gives me goose bumps. What a historic car. Worth its weight in platinum. Thank you for sharing.

[anjan_c2007]

Mrs Gandhi's Ambassador car when she was arrested in 1979 as ex- PM and released on bail soon after.



Mrs Indira Gandhi's Ambassador DHI 1817 was in the news when it was challaned for wrong parking opposite a car accessories shop at Connaught Place, New Delhi in 1982, while being used by her close aide. The Dy Commissioner of Police was Mrs Kiran Bedi at that time, but was invited for lunch subsequently by the PM for her courage and devotion to duty.

[anjan_c2007]

The two cars used by Mr M.G. Ramachandran, then CM of Tamil Nadu. His liking for this shade of blue and also for the digits 4777 in the registration numbers of both Ambassadors are noteworthy.



The MGR memorial museum gate





On display at the MGR museum





Attachment 2475369

The car MGR 4777 is registered with the RTO Raigad, Maharashtra. Incidentally, there was news that his supporters were looking for the whereabouts of MGR series and zeroed upon the Raigad RTO that had such a series.

[svsantosh]

Originally Posted by anjan_c2007

I found this post on What's App presumably posted and circulated by the restorer....

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/members/ashvar87.html

Ashwin Raj is a silent spectator here and owner of Torquemax Krishnagiri. I have met him few times in his workshop (I am from Hosur) and it is not something you will expect in a 2nd tier town in India.

I suggest anyone passing by Krishnagiri (it is about 95kms from Electronic City, Bangalore) to drop in and check his place out.

[anjan_c2007]

The 1994 Ambassador Nova once owned by Mr E.K. Nayanar, then Chief Minister of Kerala. All the pictures are by Mr Manu Gopinadh, the new owner and were shared by Mr Manoj Kumar. Mr E.K. Nayanar served as Chief Minister of Kerala for about 11 years during three terms and hence qualifies as the longest serving Chief Minister of the state.







The original Nova images above







Restored as a Grand

















Lately again restored as a Grand with new touches

[anjan_c2007]

An image posted by Mr Rathna Nadar, my friend whose Ambassador is in the august company of MDT 2727 the just restored "K.Kamaraj Chevrolet Styleline".



A BBC news clipping showing the restoration process of MDT 2727. The commentary is though in Tamil.

https://fb.watch/lQnp1alyFC/?mibextid=Nif5oz

[anjan_c2007]

The late Union Minister Mr George Fernandes with an Ambassador Mark II and his Premier Padmini



George Fernandes and Jaya Jaitly during the Lok Sabha election of 1980. The Mark II has a Bihar registration as the leader used to contest Lok Sabha elections from Bihar during then. Photo courtesy Rupa Publicat





His Premier Padmini that he used when he was not a Minister. The coloured photo is from 2005 courtesy Bennett and Coleman



As Defence Minister using an Air Force Staff Car

[anjan_c2007]

Mr Chakravarti Rajagopalachari (10 December 1878 – 25 December 1972), a freedom fighter was the first and last Indian Governor General of Independent India. He held offices as Union Minister, Premier of Madras state (pre-Independence), Chief Minister of Madras State post 1950 and also Governor of West Bengal. He was also an accomplished writer ad contributed to Indian English literature.



A 1955 Fiat Millecento owned by him. This car has also appeared in other threads





Attending the IIT, Madras convocation in 1967. The car is a Dodge Kingsway.



A postal stamp released in his honour in 1973.

[karlosdeville]

Shri Y B Chavan alighting from a Fiat Select in 1972

[anjan_c2007]

The Wanderer (in which Netaji escaped via his home in Kolkata to Bihar and then further) as clicked by me in 2011 before it was restored. The car is on display at Netaji Bhawan on Elgin Road, Kolkata. Photography is permissible outside, within the premises. But inside their home, photography is not allowed. They have picture post cards of the interiors as well as exteriors for sale. The premises is maintained by the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Trust.



This image above is from a picture post card








Signature of the freedom fighter above.

[anjan_c2007]

Mr Jyoti Basu (full name Mr Jyotindra Basu), the then longest serving Chief Minister of any state (1977-2000) used an early 1970's Toyota Corolla as his official car to commute from his Hindustan Park residence in Kolkata then. The white Toyota, with registration number DHB 1532 was a regular sight on the Lower Circular Road-Rabindra Sadan-Hastings-Red Road and then towards Writers Building, Dalhousie Square where the State government headquarters were then located. The car had a red beacon and a flickering red light placed on the front bumper (Usual for W.B. government VIP's and VVIP's) though, but there was no VVIP stoppage of traffic etc while the car was moving with a Mahindra jeep as the pilot and a Bedford police van trailing the car. He himself used to get stuck in traffic jams but traffic police would make way for the convoy and even I would often sight him often in a white kurta and dhoti, while commuting to my office on Chowringhee Road. DHB 1532 could have been a State Trading Corporation (STC) disposal car.



The car was for sometime in Delhi while he was entering the Parliament



Mr Basu shifted to his new abode in Salt Lake, Kolkata in the 1980's as his former residence was in the city and he was asthmatic and was advised to stay in a cleaner environment



Finally, an armour plated Ambassador ISZ 1800 like all the politicians of that era as his official car. Here in this picture he is shown leaving Writers Building on 5th November 2000 after relinquishing his post.

He passed away at age 95 on 17th January 2010.

[anjan_c2007]

The Ambassador car of ex Prime Minister Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee has been restored and is on display at the PM museum ( earlier Teen Murti House) in Delhi.

https://youtu.be/7tfkorzDOwA