Earlier this month, a video dropped online showing a Tata Harrier.EV ascending the rugged terrain of Anappara (Elephant Rock), a nearly 4,000-ft-tall mountain in Idukki that resembles the shape of an elephant. The promo video, which ends with the tagline ‘Delete the Impossible’, instantly sparked awe and discussions.
Indeed, everyone wanted to learn more about the man behind the wheel, the one who navigated this electric SUV up the treacherous trail. Well, it’s none other than Dr Mohammed Fahed V P, a 38-year-old ayurvedic doctor from Malappuram who won the prestigious Rainforest Challenge (RFC) in Goa, one of the toughest off-road races in the country, in 2024.
Fahed’s journey into the world of mud and machines began early. “I started driving jeeps in college. But even before, growing up in Malappuram meant that I was used to the terrain usually associated with off-roading. In fact, the nearly four-kilometre stretch from the main road to our house is indeed an adventure trail,” Fahed quips.
If it was the weekend excursions he undertook to remote places with his friends that piqued his interest in the initial years, over time, Fahed grew into a serious competitor, taking part in over 200 events, including the RFC.
Today, Fahed, who has finished on the RFC podium four years in a row, is emblematic of Kerala’s off-roading prowess. However, the Elephant Rock Challenge, i.e. the ascent of Anappara, was something else entirely.
“There isn’t really a track there,” Fahed explains. “No 4x4 has ever gone up that way. Also, no off-roader had dared to drive up here. But we decided to take the Harrier EV up the steepest section.”
The idea was to test and showcase the capabilities of their electric SUV in the wild. “And what better proving ground than a climb no vehicle had completed before, right?”
For two days of the week-long shoot, held in April, Fahed and the production crew mapped the terrain and planned the shoot down to the minute, including sun angles and articulation shots. “I have a ritual, developed from years of competition. I walk the line before driving. I chart where my right and left wheels should go, step by step. That ‘muscle’ memory proved crucial,” he explains.
Visibility was an issue. “Because of the steep gradient, from behind the wheel, you see nothing but sky. The vehicle’s 360 camera and brake inputs guided me exceptionally well,” Fahed says.
The trickiest section, the third climb, was narrow with loose gravel and sharp drop-offs. “There’s a point where you have to go diagonally. Go too left, you slip. Go too right and you hit the rock. I wasn’t sure the vehicle would make it, but it did,” says Fahed, who’s now revelling in the success of this fantastic feat.
Indeed, the stunt has had a ripple effect. Ever since the video dropped last week, off-roading enthusiasts from across the state have been making their way to Anappara to see the site for themselves. Social media pages dedicated to 4x4 culture, and even Kerala Tourism’s official platforms are abuzz.
“My phone hasn’t stopped ringing,” adds Fahed. “I hope this attention translates to sponsorships as well. That way, I can partake in even more off-road races in the future, especially the Dakar Rally. But the visibility is certainly helping.”