The three days long 2013 JK Tyre Himalayan Drive Rally ended on a successful note on March 24, 2013, after conquering the demanding terrains of Sikkim, West Bengal, Darjeeling and the Eastern Himalayas for the first time. The much awaited TSD (Time-Speed-Distance) rally event was kicked off from the Siliguri City Centre on March 22, 2013. The JK Tyre Himalayan Drive sponsors included Servo (IOC), Radio Misty, Telegraph, Sikkim Tourism and City Centre Siliguri.
Commenting on the one-of-a-kind motor sporting event, Sanjay Sharma, Head, Motor sports, JK Tyre and Industries Limited, was quoted as saying, “The JK Tyre Himalayan Drive 2013 was a new milestone in the promotion of motor sport in the Sikkim, Darjeeling and North Bengal region. We have already made a mark in Bhutan through our Indo-Bhutan Car Rally and through these activities, we aspire to take the sport to every nook and corner of the country. It was a memorable experience for all of us and hopefully, there will be many more to come.”
As per reports, this year's edition of the JK Tyre Himalayan Drive was the first motor sporting rally organised in the pristine landscape of Eastern Himalayas. The event was jointly organized by the Just Sportz Management Private Limited, along with Government of West Bengal, Sikkim and GTA. The successful rally attracted more than 50 participants from Siliguri, West Bengal, Darjeeling and Gangtok.
The driver-navigator team of Soham Hazra and Nirav Mehta won the 2013 JK Tyre Himalayan Drive TSD Rally, whereas the duo of S. K. Ajgar Ali and M. K. Mohammad Mustafa took the second spot. Further, the driver-navigator partners- Subir Roy and Amit Saha finished at third position. Expressing his delight at winning the event, Sonam Hazra was quoted as saying, “The JK Tyre Himalayan Drive 2013 was certainly a challenging event that tested man and machine to the maximum. The rally route was breathtaking and I thoroughly enjoyed participating in this event.”
The adrenaline pumping 400 km long TSD rally covered breathtaking landscapes and thrilling routes of the Eastern Himalayas, much to the delight of all participants. The rally traversed through lush green terrains of West Bengal, beautiful hills of Sikkim and Darjeeling, surpassing dense forests, tea gardens and the regal Tista River. The participants enjoyed an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience the royal panoramic scenes of snow capped Eastern Himalayas, local culture and lifestyles of Nepali, Bhutia, Lepcha and other local communities of the region. The action junkies of JK Tyre Himalayan Drive TSD Rally also got a chance to conquer the demanding inclines of the Mt. Kanchenjunga, the world's third highest peak after Everest and K2.
Expressing his delight at the first motor sporting spectacle organised in the Eastern Himalayas, Tamal Ghosal, Director, Just Sportz Management and Clerk of the Course (COC), JK Tyre Himalayan Drive said, “The Eastern Himalayas have a great potential for adventure sports and a TSD rally is the first step to unleash the prospect of motor sports in the region. We are thankful to enthusiastic Governments of West Bengal, Sikkim and GTA who helped us in executing this one-of-a-kind rally. After the success of this grand feast of thrilling action and adventure in West Bengal, Sikkim and Darjeeling hill areas, we are positive that our endeavours would encourage cross country motor sport events which would be second to none in the world.”
