<p>Dr KC Shantha Prasad was still studying medicine when he bought his first classic car, a 1963 model of Volkswagen Beetle. “I had saved up some money to buy the car. I fell in love with the cute little car, with its left hand drive. It was love at first sight!” he confesses. A consulting neurologist with NIMHANS until recently, he voluntarily quit his job and bought a piece of land in Nanjangud, near Mysuru, where he hopes to start an organic farm.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The Volkswagen Beetle was just the beginning of the 63-year-old doctor’s hand-picked collection of the choicest of the cars. His fleet certainly offers a visual treat — he recently added a 1938 model Nash to his grand line up of a Mercedes Benz 300TD, which is a five-cylinder automatic, 1951 and 1953 models of Morris Minor, a 1972 model Fiat and a 1989 model Ambassador Marc 4. <br /><br />The cars are in perfect running condition, says Dr Shantha Prasad, who still drives them through the City’s busiest thoroughfares. “None of my cars have ever given me any trouble. They move slowly but they serve the purpose and I am thrilled when total strangers compliment the cars and me.” He says that he is sentimental about his cars and each one of them holds a special place in his life. “I don’t find any difference between the cars and my children. Both get the same amount of love, without anything expected of them in return.” <br /><br />However, Dr Shantha Prasad concedes that spare parts aren’t easily available. “I don’t look at it as an expensive proposition. I enjoy maintaining my cars just as much as I enjoy driving them around. I not only drive the cars around the City but also to Mysuru,” he says.<br /><br /> Anything antique, like the cars in his stable, draws the doctor’s attention. He was 24 years old when he took part in his first racing rally. “It was a state racing rally called K1000. There were 89 entries from across the country for a 1800km race and I won that race, and two years later I participated in a similar race and bagged the second slot. <br /><br />Thus began my journey in racing and collecting cars,” he elaborates. The doctor’s family shares his pride and his children too take interest in maintaining the cars. His daughter says that she has grown up amidst cars. “I haven’t reached the legal age to drive yet but when I do, I definitely like to drive around in these old cars,” says Apoorva. Dr Shantha Prasad adds that he was inspired to collect the cars through his friend Sridhar. “In fact, Sridhar helps me maintain the cars. It was he who recently bought the 1938 model of Nash.” <br /><br />His wife, Dr P Sreedevi, and son Ashwin have tried their hand at driving the cars as well. “My wife has tried driving them but only on the highway. There’s no power steering and one definitely requires that extra strength to drive these cars. But she really likes the experience of navigating her way forward in the old beauties,” he says. <br /><br />(Dr Shantha Prasad can be reached on 9448107010)</p>
<p>Dr KC Shantha Prasad was still studying medicine when he bought his first classic car, a 1963 model of Volkswagen Beetle. “I had saved up some money to buy the car. I fell in love with the cute little car, with its left hand drive. It was love at first sight!” he confesses. A consulting neurologist with NIMHANS until recently, he voluntarily quit his job and bought a piece of land in Nanjangud, near Mysuru, where he hopes to start an organic farm.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The Volkswagen Beetle was just the beginning of the 63-year-old doctor’s hand-picked collection of the choicest of the cars. His fleet certainly offers a visual treat — he recently added a 1938 model Nash to his grand line up of a Mercedes Benz 300TD, which is a five-cylinder automatic, 1951 and 1953 models of Morris Minor, a 1972 model Fiat and a 1989 model Ambassador Marc 4. <br /><br />The cars are in perfect running condition, says Dr Shantha Prasad, who still drives them through the City’s busiest thoroughfares. “None of my cars have ever given me any trouble. They move slowly but they serve the purpose and I am thrilled when total strangers compliment the cars and me.” He says that he is sentimental about his cars and each one of them holds a special place in his life. “I don’t find any difference between the cars and my children. Both get the same amount of love, without anything expected of them in return.” <br /><br />However, Dr Shantha Prasad concedes that spare parts aren’t easily available. “I don’t look at it as an expensive proposition. I enjoy maintaining my cars just as much as I enjoy driving them around. I not only drive the cars around the City but also to Mysuru,” he says.<br /><br /> Anything antique, like the cars in his stable, draws the doctor’s attention. He was 24 years old when he took part in his first racing rally. “It was a state racing rally called K1000. There were 89 entries from across the country for a 1800km race and I won that race, and two years later I participated in a similar race and bagged the second slot. <br /><br />Thus began my journey in racing and collecting cars,” he elaborates. The doctor’s family shares his pride and his children too take interest in maintaining the cars. His daughter says that she has grown up amidst cars. “I haven’t reached the legal age to drive yet but when I do, I definitely like to drive around in these old cars,” says Apoorva. Dr Shantha Prasad adds that he was inspired to collect the cars through his friend Sridhar. “In fact, Sridhar helps me maintain the cars. It was he who recently bought the 1938 model of Nash.” <br /><br />His wife, Dr P Sreedevi, and son Ashwin have tried their hand at driving the cars as well. “My wife has tried driving them but only on the highway. There’s no power steering and one definitely requires that extra strength to drive these cars. But she really likes the experience of navigating her way forward in the old beauties,” he says. <br /><br />(Dr Shantha Prasad can be reached on 9448107010)</p>