Virajpet (Kodagu):<\/strong> Motorsport legend Maletira Jagath Nanjappa passed away at a private hospital in Mysuru yesterday. He was 68.<\/p>\n Jagath Nanjappa, son of late Maletira Chotu Appanna and a \u00a0resident of Nalvathoklu village in Virajpet taluk, Kodagu, leaves behind his wife, Anitha Nanjappa and a host of relatives and friends.<\/p>\n Following his demise, Nanjappa\u2019s mortal remains were taken to his native, where the body was kept at his residence for people to pay their last respects.<\/p>\n Later, the last rites were held at the Kodava Samaja crematorium in Virajpet this evening, according to family sources.<\/p>\n Jagath and Anitha Nanjappa are a well-known couple in the sport of motor racing in India. They have participated and won many motorbike and car rallies in India.<\/p>\n While Jagath was the driver, his wife Anitha donned the role of the navigator.<\/p>\n A file photo of Jagath Nanjappa and his wife \u00a0Anitha Nanjappa with their trophies.<\/strong><\/p>\n Known for their grit and determination, they once completed a rally despite having a flat rear tyre, with Anitha having to sit on the petrol tank of the bike for a distance of 70 kms to reduce the weight on \u00a0the flat tyre.\u00a0<\/p>\n Jagath and Anitha won the Annual Indian National Rally Riders Championship in the motorbike section nine times between 1986 and 1996, losing out only in the years 1990 and 1992.<\/p>\n Some of the other rallies won by the couple include: The Great Desert Rally in 1988, The Coimbatore Rally in 1992, The MASA Rally held at Mumbai in the years 1993 and 1994, The Popular Rally held at Kochi in the years 1993 and 1994.<\/p>\n In car racing, they were runners-up in the Indian National Racing Championship in the 1400cc category in 1998, 2000 and 2001.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/starofmysore.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/News-8a-7.jpg\")
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