Pune’s DY Patil College of Engineering Takes Home the 2020 BAJA SAE Title

The BAJA SAE is one of the most challenging inter-college events for Indian engineers. In its 13th edition, the event was even more demanding than before as the organisers had tweaked the track and included new bits to it. Overcoming all these obstacles was Pune’s DY Patil College of Engineering, which took home the first position followed by Government College of Engineering, Aurangabad, and Silver Oak College of Engineering & Technology, Ahmedabad. Team E-Ziba Racers from Shri Vishnu Engineering College for Women, Andhra Pradesh, won the eBAJA category. 

Also read: 2019 Mahindra Baja SAEINDIA Kicks Up A Dust Storm!

The four-day event saw students being assessed on different aspects such as design evaluation, cost evaluation, marketing presentation, and the holy grail of all the events: the four-hour endurance race. One of the main objectives was to let the students experience what it's like to build a car on their own and test it to the limit.

Also read: 2017 SAEINDIA BAJA - Where Determination Defines Glory

Before the buggies could even start the four-hour torture test, they were made to undertake a series of tests like acceleration, manoeuvrability, rock crawl and suspension and traction. If the teams pass these on-field tests, the judges are convinced that their buggies can withstand the off-road track for four hours straight. Out of the 282 teams that registered for this year’s BAJA, only 86 teams (76 teams for mBAJA and 10 for eBAJA) made it to the final endurance race! 

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Reaching the finals was half the battle won, but surviving it was a whole another aspect. Having never seen the track before, the drivers had no idea what lay ahead of them and how the track could affect their buggies. Some buggies gave up after a few laps, but some went ahead and completed the endurance race without any hiccups. The winners can now take a sigh of relief, but not for that long. Because the team has to make sure they repeat the same success mantra next year as well. As far as the other teams go, it was a learning process for them.  

Here’s the entire list of winners: