Interview: Kerman Framna
The “King of the Ghats” speaks to Bike India
Kerman Framna is a legendary indian cyclist who has won many cycling events nationally and even represented india multiple times on the global stage. he is best known for his unbroken King of the ghats record (21 minutes 20 seconds) that he set in the 1987-88 season at the peak of his career. more than three decades later, even with ground-breaking advances in bicycle technology, the record remains unbeaten and, so far as we are concerned, he continues to be the King of the ghats. we caught up with him during one of his bicycle rides and tried to learn more about his illustrious career.
Kerman has represented india globally multiple times and has won as many as four national championships and eight state championships. his list of accolades also includes the prestigious shiv chhatrapati award (1986-1987).
What or who inspired you to take up bicycling?
i come from a family of cyclists. my cousins, Firdosh and nauzer Kayani, were cyclists and watching them race was fascinating. they inspired me to take up cycling.
How did the move into professional racing happen, especially when this was not a sport that gained a lot of attention in our country?
during my training and racing, i was spotted by ashok captain and Zubin shroff. the next moment, ashok captain took me under his wings and trained me. From that day onwards there was no looking back. even today i go to them when i need some advice.
Your long list of achievements as a cyclist is a testimony to your extraordinary abilities, but during which part of your career were you well sponsored/ supported?
Finding sponsors for any sport in india is a difficult task and for the first few years of my career, i had no sponsors. later on, i managed to get sponsorship from Pravin Pickles and now suhana masala are on board. Vishal chordia, director of suhana masala, is a cycling buff himself.
What is your favourite memory from your career as a professional cyclist?
my favourite memory is breaking the King of the ghats record previously held by the late homi Bhathena. i clearly remember the night before the race. i was at homi’s house and he jokingly asked, ‘will you break my record?’ and i humoured him by saying yes. at the same time, i was quite serious about winning the title.
Of all the races you took part in, which one was the most challenging and why?
all the races were good challenges but the old Bombay-Poona cycle race is the most challenging and prestigious race in the country. you race against the best riders from all over the country and everyone wants to win. it is 160 kilometres of pure racing and it was the toughest race in the country.
How often do you cycle these days and how far do you ride then?
i still ride 50 to 100 km at least three to four days a week to keep myself fit. For the past couple of years, i have been in and out of the hospital due to some illness but the cycling never stops thanks to my wonderful doctor, Kayanoosh Kadapatti, who has always walked the extra mile to put me back on the saddle at the earliest.
Even after winning many awards and accolades, why did you get rid of all your trophies?
i do not like to live on past glory. don’t you think it would be nice to live for today and let the past just slip away?
Decades later, your record stands unbroken. What are your comments about this?
records are meant to be broken. someone, someday, will break my record. one thing is for sure, i will never ask a young cyclist, ‘will you break my record?’
What is your favourite cycling route?
my favourite route will always be Pune-shivapur-Pune.
If you could go back in time and fix something, what would you do?
i would like to fix the final sprint of my third Bombay-Poona cycle race. i had already won the previous two years. my coach, ashok captain, repeatedly told me to just sprint from the front if i came into the final sprint. like a smart ass, i did exactly the opposite. i started from the back and finished second. if i had listened to him (which i always do otherwise), the results would have been different but there are no regrets. experience is what you get when you don’t get what you want.
During our conversation earlier, you mentioned that safety is a huge concern when cycling. Could you elaborate on that?
yes, this is the most important aspect of cycling. in india, i see a lot of people spending thousands and even lakhs of rupees on a cycle, but they will not spend a fraction of that on a helmet. i see young kids, men and women, riding without helmets. Parents should make their kids wear a helmet while cycling.
We’d earlier done a feature on Log9 Materials’ aluminium fuel cells. How has that journey been?
Aluminium Fuel Cell (AFC) is a breakthrough clean energy solution for India which not only eliminates emission, but also builds a circular economy. However, AFC is a complex technology with multiple parts and sub-processes and Log9 is at the stage of system level optimization. Furthermore, AFC’s constant power, high energy density is best-suited for long-haul vehicles (buses/trucks), a sector in which electrification is yet to pick up, though it has tremendous potential. Log9 is working to complete the development and pilots of its AFC technology in line with the pickup of long-haul EV demand.
Why graphene? What does graphene mean to the energy storage industry? How is it better?
Graphene is a “wonder” material because of its superlative properties on multiple fronts. The material is an excellent electrical conductor, a great thermal conductor, and also stronger than steel (at the nano level). Great technological inventions generally occur far ahead of their times, with the initial versions being quite expensive and inefficient. However, it is only with the development of advanced materials that progress and commercial viability can truly happen for that technological invention. The same is the case in the energy storage industry. Graphene, alongside other novel materials, is an enabler for making advanced technologies such as AFC, supercapacitor, and high-quality lithium-ion batteries viable in today’s markets.
Where is the required graphene sourced from? What sort of need do you foresee in terms of volume/quantity?
The graphene used in our products is produced in-house. The point to note here is the fact that there are multiple variants of graphene and matching a particular variant to a certain real-world application is a non-trivial process, one that Log9 specializes in. However, the company is not in the business of selling graphene and will increase the capacity as the demand for its products increases, which is just a matter of time, considering how large the market is. All raw materials required for producing graphene at Log9 are sourced locally.
Where are the graphene battery packs being produced? Are all components and materials locally sourced?
Our novel hybrid battery packs are assembled in-house and we are on schedule to begin commercial production a few months down the line. We are currently using procured cells to build demand. However, Log9 is closely working with relevant partners and plans on setting up its own cell manufacturing plant in the future by leveraging the PLI scheme offered by the government. Log9 is also working with ancillary industries to develop local cell manufacturing value chain (battery-grade raw materials such as aluminium, graphite, refining processes, cell assembly, etc) in India.
In the tests, what sort of timeframes may we expect the charging to take place in? What are your test vehicles like?
Our batteries for two-wheelers can be fully charged in 15 minutes while providing a range of 80 kilometres. For the three-wheeler application, they can be charged 100 per cent in 40 minutes while giving a range of up to 100 km.