3 min readMar 21, 2026 11:59 PM IST
Veteran Indian rally driver Hari Singh, widely known as the “Gypsy King”, has gone missing after a speedboat accident in the Maldives, triggering an extensive search operation by local authorities.
The incident took place late on Thursday, March 19, when a speedboat carrying at least seven people, including Singh and industrialist Gautam Singhania, capsized near Felidhoo island.
When contacted Simar Kaur, wife of Hari Singh, she refused to comment.
According to reports, the boat overturned roughly two nautical miles southwest of Keyodhoo. The exact cause of the accident is still under investigation.
Singhania, chairman and managing director of the Raymond Group, sustained injuries in the mishap but was rescued and later brought back to Mumbai. He is currently recovering. However, Singh and at least one other person remain untraceable, with search efforts continuing.
The Maldives National Defence Force’s Male Area Command Coast Guard Second Squadron has been deployed for the rescue operation. The Maldives authorities have been scanning the surrounding waters since the incident.
A prominent name in Indian motorsport, Singh, 59, is regarded as one of the country’s most accomplished rally drivers. He began his career in 1990 with the Himalayan Car Rally and went on to dominate the sport through the 1990s and early 2000s. Driving a Maruti Gypsy for the JK Tyre Rally Team, he secured five Indian National Rally Championship titles.
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Singh also won the inaugural Asia Zone Rally Championship and represented India in several international competitions, including the ASEAN and SAARC rallies. In later years, he took on mentoring and operational roles, working closely with JK Tyre Motorsport and Mercedes-Benz India.
In an interview with evoindia.com, Singh spoke about how is successful partnership with JK rally team began.
“In March 1992 I was in America for my brother’s wedding and that’s when I got a call that JK that they were forming a rally team and would like me to join. I didn’t attend my brother’s wedding and took the next flight back and Bittoo (co-driver) drove the Gypsy from Chandigarh to Delhi from where it was airlifted to Bangalore. I got to Bangalore, we picked up the Gypsy, drove to Kodaikanal, reached at 4 am for scrutiny, at 6 am, won our category and came third overall.”
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
