Long before motorcycle sidecars became a niche choice for collectors and adventure riders across the world, they had already earned a permanent place in Bollywood. A few scenes in the 1975 blockbuster Sholay, where Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra ride a motorcycle with a sidecar, turned the humble motorcycle sidecar into a cinematic icon.More than five decades later, while motorcycle sidecars have largely disappeared from Indian roads, a family-run engineering firm in the small industrial town of Nangal in Ropar district is ensuring they continue to roll across highways in Europe, America and other parts of the world.Inder Auto Industries, established in 1976 by mechanical engineer Varinder Pal Singh, has become one of India’s leading manufacturers of handcrafted motorcycle sidecars, specialised mobility solutions and emergency-response vehicles. From a modest workshop that initially focused on helping differently abled persons regain mobility, the company today exports its products to the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore and several other countries.The enterprise is now headed by Simranjit Singh, who joined the family business after completing his studies. “Our journey began by manufacturing motorcycle sidecars and mobility solutions for physically challenged persons. My father always believed technology should serve society, and that philosophy continues to guide everything we build,” said Simranjit Singh.The same expertise that creates premium motorcycle sidecars for global enthusiasts has also led to one of the company’s latest innovations, a motorcycle ambulance designed to reach patients in narrow streets, congested urban areas and remote villages where conventional ambulances often cannot.The compact emergency vehicle has been designed with provisions for carrying an intensive care unit (ICU), allowing first responders to stabilise patients before they are shifted to hospitals. According to Simranjit Singh, the concept has received approval from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and is awaiting registration and clearances from transport authorities in different states before commercial deployment, he said.The company has already supplied nearly 200 motorcycle ambulances, without ICU facilities, for projects in Jamshedpur and Telangana, highlighting the growing demand for compact emergency-response vehicles.While motorcycle sidecars are often viewed as lifestyle accessories in Europe and North America, Inder Auto Industries has transformed the same engineering platform into practical solutions for Indian conditions.Its handcrafted motorcycle sidecars can be fitted to premium motorcycles, including Harley-Davidson and BMW models, and around 300 units are exported every year to overseas markets where sidecar touring continues to enjoy a loyal following, said Simranjit Singh. He added that in 2012, the company also designed a unique motorcycle sidecar that functioned as a mobile classroom for children living in remote areas of South Africa. Twenty-five such units were supplied under the project.The company also specialises in restoring vintage motorcycles and scooters, another niche business that attracts enthusiasts from across the country.While the famous Sholay sidecar survives today largely in cinema memories, the craftsmen in Nangal are ensuring that motorcycle sidecars remain very much alive not merely as symbols of nostalgia, but as vehicles of mobility, adventure and even life-saving emergency care.