Mumbai: Another edition of the celebrated and hugely-successful “JK Tyre WIAA Women’s Rally to the Valley”, organized by the Western India Automobile Association (WIAA) and presented by JK Tyre, was flagged off, amidst thunderous support from the participants. The flag-off ceremony was graced by Shri Vivek Phansalkar – IPS, Commissioner of Mumbai Police; Shri Pravin Padwal – IPS Joint Commissioner of Police, Traffic, Greater Mumbai; and Shri Anuj Kathuria – President (India), JK Tyre & Industries, as Chief Guests.
The rally had around 300 participants from various walks of life, coming together to voice for various causes including women empowerment and women’s safety. JK Tyre racer & one of India’s leading professional women racer Mira Erda cheered for the participants and kickstarted the rally 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 winners will be awarded in the prize distribution ceremony.
Sharing his delight on the conduction of this year’s edition, Mr. 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 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 who 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 leadership, women’s safety, and many more. 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 1st to 5th. The event will be flagged off from Siliguri and after covering Sikkim will conclude in Darjeeling.
The JK Tyre WIAA “Women’s Rally to the Valley” aligns with JK Tyre’s vision of bringing more women into motorsport and giving them a platform to celebrate their true potential. Thrill and excitement filled the air as the rally moved through the cities echoing the spirit of womanhood. The participants of the JK Tyre WIAA Women’s Rally to the Valley came from different backgrounds including Indian Navy, Army, Airforce, Highway Traffic Police Maharashtra, Regional Transport Department and others. The event is presented by JK Tyre and powered by BPCL, Westside and Go Digit Insurance.
About JK Tyre Motorsport:
JK Tyre has been closely associated with the world of motorsports for almost three decades. The company laid down a long-term plan to popularize and promote the sport in the country. Its first target was to change the notion that this was a sport for the elite. So, it packaged and redesigned it in a spectator-friendly way, drawing the masses to the sport. JK Tyre’s efforts started paying dividends in just a few years’ time, with the likes of Narain Karthikeyan and Karun Chandok going all the way to the F1 rung, the highest level of single-seat racing in the world. Since then, a number of stars emerged, including Armaan Ebrahim, the Maini brothers (Kush and Arjun), Anindith Reddy Konda, amongst many others. JK Tyre Motorsports is very proud of the role it has played in bringing women into motorsports in a big way. Apart from encouraging them to get into the sport through karting as kids, the company also gave them opportunities in various national championships. With a vision to promote women in motorsports, the company has curated women-centric events such as JK Tyre WIAA Women’s Rally to Valley, JK Tyre Defence Wives Power Drive, JK Tyre-YFLO Women’s Power Drive, JK Tyre Times Women’s Drive apart from introducing an all-women’s team in the JK Tyre National Racing Championship to encourage women to take up to the sport.
–Press release
