In Images : 11th Mahindra BAJA SAEINDIA concludes

The 2018 edition of Mahindra BAJA SAEINDIA took place at Pithampur just outside Indore last weekend with participation from no less than 160 colleges. The event, into its 11th year, is the only of its kind in India and invites engineering students to participate and show their talent when it comes to innovation in building an off-road buggy from grounds up, as per pre-described rules and regulations.

So what is BAJA SAEINDIA

Its a perfect example of an out-of-classroom-education system where engineering students from all over India can participate as a team to design, analyze, fabricate and validate an all-terrain vehicle. The vehicles are evaluated during a series of static, dynamic and durability events like design, cost evaluation, sales presentation, acceleration, maneuverability, hill climb and endurance.

The event went on for more than just a day – four to be precise. The final day, 28th January, saw the qualified teams battling it out for the main endurance run.

And the 11th edition of BAJA SAE 2018 kicks off in style @BSaeindia @MahindraRise @GoenkaPk #Indore @TheIndoreRocks pic.twitter.com/W3o19hux5g

— Bunny Punia (@BunnyPunia) January 28, 2018

The sun was out in all its glory but that didn’t deter these young guns to give it all. Obstacles, jumps, sand and slush – I have never seen such levels of adrenaline and it went on for hours! Team coordination was at its best and though there were a few low moments wherein machines gave in, the spirit of brotherhood was at its best.

Volunteers turned marshals and rescue angles were present at every sector and were on their toes the moment a driver needed help – be it pushing the buggy out of slush or offering water from the bottles – I have never seen so much enthusiasm at an automotive event.

Numbers for the 11th Edition

The 2018 BAJA SAEINDIA has been divided into two events : the one first took place at Pithampur and the second one will take place in Chandigarh in March. Lets have a look at the numbers

No of teams registered: 388
No of teams that qualified for finals: 221 (161 – Pithampur, 60 – Ropar or Chandigarh)
No of teams that made it to Endurance at Pithampur: 112 (87 mBAJA and 25 eBAJA)
No of students who turned up for the event at Pithampur: 4000
No of teams that completed the Endurance at Pithampur: 46 mBAJA and 7 eBAJA

As you must have read above, the event saw participation of both petrol powered buggies as well as e-Buggies and we were fortunate enough to see them in action at the NATRAX (The National Automotive Test Tracks) proving grounds outside Indore.

Top limited was limited to 60 kph for safety reasons and yet, drivers were seen flying off on two wheels, drifting around the dirt traction with full opposite lock and painting their buggies brown in the slush pit. All the mBAJA vehicles were fitted with the same 305cc Briggs And Stratton engine. The event was been screened LIVE at the main venue where students from the participating colleges erupted in euphoria every time the drones captured a spectacular overtaking maneuver.

WINNERS

eBAJA 
Kashibai Navale College of Engineering, Pune took away the honors followed by Shri Vishnu Engineering College For Women from Andhra Pradesh

mBAJA
D.Y. Patil College of Engineering, Pune won the mBAJA category followed by College of Engineering, Pune and Institute of Technology, Nirma University taking the 2nd and 3rd spot respectively.

We will let the images do the talking – enjoy :)