Himalayan Car Rally: India's Toughest and Most Demanding Motorsport Rally
HIMALAYAN CAR RALLY
-by jaydeep nainwal
Himalayan car rally is India's toughest and most demanding motorsport rally. It is one of the oldest international motorsport events organised in the country, and is the only Indian motorsport event listed on the off-road rallies calendar of FIM (Federation Internationale Motorcyclisme), Geneva, Switzerland. Started in the 1980’s, the rally was claimed to be one of the major sporting events of the country, which also went on to be included as an event in the Asia Pacific Rally Championship by the FIA. While it attracted humungous crowds, it succeeded in making the Himalayas a hub for the world’s biggest men and machines.
Himalayan car rally is named as Maruti Suzuki Raid-de-Himalaya is open to both car and bike enthusiasts and for professional as well as amateur motorsport lovers. The participants drive through some of the world's highest motorable roads and passes in the Himalayas like Jalori Pass, Rohtang Pass, Kunzum La, Baralacha La, Tanglang La & Khardung La, through the inhospitable terrains in the Lahual and Spiti valleys in the Ladakh region. Most of the drive is through boulders, snow capped peaks, gushing streams and at times, temperature below -20 degree Celsius. On an average, a participant covers a distance of 300 kms every day in this approximately 1800 km and week-long motoring event. Number of participants increasing every year, more and more people participate in the Himalayan car rally, many of them from abroad. Increased interest in Himalayan car rally over the years has seen the participation levels exceeding 200 teams in car and bike categories. Certainly it will give boost to central as well as state govt tourism and also better opportunities to the local population of Himalayan region. The Himalayan car rally is held around October, just before the onset of winters in the Himalayan region.
-by jaydeep nainwal
Himalayan car rally is India's toughest and most demanding motorsport rally. It is one of the oldest international motorsport events organised in the country, and is the only Indian motorsport event listed on the off-road rallies calendar of FIM (Federation Internationale Motorcyclisme), Geneva, Switzerland. Started in the 1980’s, the rally was claimed to be one of the major sporting events of the country, which also went on to be included as an event in the Asia Pacific Rally Championship by the FIA. While it attracted humungous crowds, it succeeded in making the Himalayas a hub for the world’s biggest men and machines.
Himalayan car rally is named as Maruti Suzuki Raid-de-Himalaya is open to both car and bike enthusiasts and for professional as well as amateur motorsport lovers. The participants drive through some of the world's highest motorable roads and passes in the Himalayas like Jalori Pass, Rohtang Pass, Kunzum La, Baralacha La, Tanglang La & Khardung La, through the inhospitable terrains in the Lahual and Spiti valleys in the Ladakh region. Most of the drive is through boulders, snow capped peaks, gushing streams and at times, temperature below -20 degree Celsius. On an average, a participant covers a distance of 300 kms every day in this approximately 1800 km and week-long motoring event. Number of participants increasing every year, more and more people participate in the Himalayan car rally, many of them from abroad. Increased interest in Himalayan car rally over the years has seen the participation levels exceeding 200 teams in car and bike categories. Certainly it will give boost to central as well as state govt tourism and also better opportunities to the local population of Himalayan region. The Himalayan car rally is held around October, just before the onset of winters in the Himalayan region.