The Automotive Journalists Association of India (AJAI) is a nationwide consortium of motoring journalists in India, formed to collectively address issues within the fraternity and more importantly, to serve as a mentoring platform for young automotive journalists.
AJAI has collaborated with Mahindra for a unique initiative that will see member publications and journalists embark on an epic road trip in the highly acclaimed Mahindra Scorpio N. The idea is to celebrate India being the world’s largest democracy and its growth, especially when it comes to infrastructure, roads, highways and more. Called the Bharat Drive, the drive will see journalists drive to and across some of India’s crowned jewels including the latest Expressways, mountain passes and more over the next month to celebrate India’s ‘Roads of Progress’.
The Bharat Drive commenced on May 16 with a ceremonial flag-off at Mahindra’s manufacturing facility in Kandivali, Mumbai. Over the next one month the Bharat drive will effectively head to some of India’s spectacular infrastructure projects like the Samruddhi Mahamarg which is a 700km access-controlled Expressway connecting Mumbai to Nagpur, the Bhadla solar park in Rajasthan which is the world’s largest solar park, the Sela Pass tunnel in the North East which sits at over 13,000 feet above sea level, Umling La, which is the world’s highest motorable road at over 19,000 feet and more. Leading Indian tyre manufacturer JK Tyre is onboard as the official tyre partner and all Scorpio Ns used on the drive will be running rubber from JK Tyres.
Nalinikanth Gollagunta, CEO, Automotive Division, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd said, “The Bharat Drive not only showcases India’s infrastructural prowess, but also highlights the capabilities of the Scorpio N, designed to conquer diverse terrains with ease. This initiative allows us to demonstrate our leadership and commitment to enhancing India’s growth story.”
Yogendra Pratap Singh, President of AJAI and Editor, Auto Today added, “The Bharat Drive in collaboration with Mahindra Automotive and supported by JK Tyre is a showcase of the narrative about India’s ambition and collective progress. The vehicle chosen for this 10,000km plus drive, the Scorpio N, stands as a symbol of strength and reliability, qualities that resonate with the spirit of this drive. Through our collaboration we aim to highlight the critical role of infrastructure and technology in shaping our nation.”
TURBOCHARGED is part of the Bharat Drive too! Ed Abhay Verma will be driving the Mahindra Scorpio N from the picturesque Leh in the Ladakh region to Umling La, the world’s highest motorable road via Hanle, which is home to Indian Astronomical Observatory, which is one of the world’s highest observatories and is situated at 14,764 feet above sea level. Follow our social media pages to keep track!
