SANJAY SHARMA, affectionately known as ‘Hardy’, has passed away, leaving a significant void in the Indian motorsport fraternity. He was widely credited with supporting and nurturing many Indian racers who went on to compete internationally.
Hardy’s passion for motorsport began at a young age, and although he learned to drive early, many of his notable achievements came as a navigator, both in India and abroad. A key turning point came when his college batchmate Vikram Singhania, then managing director of JK Tyre, joined hands with him to establish a structured motorsport programme around 1993.
As head of corporate communications and motorsport at JK Tyre, Hardy consistently championed grassroots development. He believed young drivers should be trained not only in driving skills but also in marketing and sponsorship, enabling them to secure backing early in their careers.
JK Tyre’s racing programme was built on a clear pathway, starting with karting, progressing to the national championship, and then supporting drivers ready to compete overseas. The initiative helped produce several world-class racers, including Aditya Patel and Armaan Ebrahim in GT racing, as well as Narain Karthikeyan and Karun Chandhok. Both Karthikeyan and Chandhok began their careers in the JK Tyre National Racing Championship before receiving support to race internationally.
Reacting to the news, Karthikeyan wrote on Instagram, “Today is one of the blackest days in the history of Indian Motorsport. The man who shaped Championships and careers of so many Indian drivers is no more. Truly shocking and saddened to hear the news of the sad demise of Sanjay “Hardy” Sharma, he was the heart & soul of the JK Tyre Motorsport programme, a true motorsport fan, who loved the sport and everything it stood for. He was kind, generous, business-savvy and a true gent. He believed in me right from the start of my career and supported me wholeheartedly during my entire career. I could never ever thank him enough for what he did for Indian Motorsport & for me personally. The entire fraternity will miss him immensely. RIP Hardy!”
Chandhok wrote in a separate post, “Heartbreaking news about Hardy’s passing today…. Outside of my family, nobody did more for my career or taught me more. So many great memories going from my childhood where he would “babysit” me at Rallies across the country all the way to adulthood and so many fun deals, events, projects that we did together across 25 great years.”
