Nazir Hoosein

Who is Nazir Hoosein?

Nazir Hoosein is an Indian racing driver and motorsport administrator. He is the current President of the Motorsports Association of India, Vice President of the FIA for Sport, chief steward of the World Rally Championship and a member of the World Motor Sport Council.

In 1980 Hoosein founded the Himalayan Rally Association and started the Himalayan Rally, run through the world's highest mountains in the north of India. He founded the Indian Automotive Racing Club as he was unhappy with the way that motorsport was organised in India, and then helped in the forming of the Federation of Motor Sport Clubs of India. He became President of the FMSCI in 1984.

In 1988 Hoosein organised the Great Desert-Himalaya Rally, which ran from the Thar Desert of Rajasthan through the Shivalik hills, Himachal and Ladakh. The event ended in Srinagar.

In 1993, Hoosein was elected to the World Motor Sport Council however in 1999 the FMSCI decided that it no longer wanted Hoosein to be their representative to the FIA. This led to Hoosein forming the Motorsports Association of India in opposition to the FMSCI. Hoosein is an ally of FIA President Max Mosley, and assisted Mosley in gaining votes from the Asian members of the FIA throughout the 1990s. The FIA decided in 2000 that MAI should be recognised as motor sport's governing body in India. However the Indian government refused to recognise the MAI, which meant that Hoosein was unable to represent India at the FIA. A deal was completed allowing Hoosein to be a member of the World Motor Sport Council representing People's Republic of China.