Mumbai: Another edition of the Western India Automobile Association (WIAA) organised hugely-successful ‘Women’s Rally to the Valley’ was flagged off here on Saturday, amidst thunderous support from the participants.
The rally, organised by WIAA and presented by JK Tyre, had around 300 participants from various walks of life coming together to voice for various causes including women’s empowerment and women’s safety.
The flag-off ceremony was graced by Vivek Phansalkar, Commissioner of Police, Mumbai; Pravin Padwal, Joint Commissioner of Police, Traffic, Greater Mumbai; and Anuj Kathuria – President (India), JK Tyre & Industries, as Chief Guests.
JK Tyre racer and one of India’s leading professional women racers Mira Erda cheered for the participants and kickstarted the rally by driving the ‘Zero Car’. The event commenced from NCPA, Nariman Point, Mumbai and after traversing through the city’s major landmarks will conclude in Nasik where the prize distribution ceremony will be held.
The event is held in TSD (Time, Speed, Distance) format which is a unique form of rallying where crossing the chequered flag fastest is not the objective. Each team comprises of a driver and navigator, where the navigator has to bear in mind the route instructions, calculate the average speed and ensure the team is on track and not behind or ahead of the schedule as both scenarios attract penalty points. Participants have to maintain specified times and average speeds (which are at par or lower than the legal limits) on various segments of a predefined route.
The participants put forward various themes ranging from child abuse, ‘nari shakti’, women empowerment, child marriage, women’s leadership, and women’s safety. The decorated cars and costumes evoked the messages of the participants.
In their effort to give more exposure to women participants, JK Tyre will be rewarding the overall winner of the rally with a sponsored drive to take part in one of the most awaited TSD Drives in the Eastern Part of the country–the JK Tyre Himalayan Drive to be held from April 1 to 5. The event will be flagged off from Siliguri and after covering Sikkim will conclude in Darjeeling.
Sharing his delight on the conduction of this year’s edition, Anuj Kathuria, President (India), JK Tyre & Industries, said “We’re delighted to host another exciting edition of this prestigious rally and I congratulate all for their participation and support. Being a promoter of motorsport for decades now, JK Tyre has always been focused on making motorsport more inclusive and welcoming to all. This rally is a testament to our commitment to empower women and to create a more robust and diverse motorsports community.”
The participants this year are from different backgrounds including Indian Navy, Army, Air Force, Highway Traffic Police Maharashtra, and Regional Transport Department.
–IANS