ITANAGAR, 17 Jun: The Rally of Arunachal-2023, organised by the Motorsports Club of Arunachal (MCA), in association with the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI), concluded on Saturday.
Held from 13 to 16 June, the prestigious event showcased the remarkable skills of India’s top rally drivers and celebrated the breathtaking landscapes of Arunachal Pradesh. The event was organised by the youth affairs directorate, headed by MCA president Lhakpa Tsering.
The Rally of Arunachal-2023 was the second round of the highly anticipated Blueband FMSCI Indian National Rally Championship. It attracted a massive field of 51 entries, making it the largest rally event in the Northeast region. Rally enthusiasts from all over the country gathered in Itanagar to witness the impressive display of driving skills and experience the adrenaline-fuelled atmosphere.
Tsering expressed pride in holding the event in Arunachal Pradesh, stating, “The rally was likely the most demanding for both organisers and competitors, and it marked the first time in India that the event took place at night. With a remarkable turnout of 8 to 10k spectators, motorsports were brought right to the youths of the state.”
Premnath K of Blueband Sports shared his satisfaction with the event, highlighting the unprecedented number of entries from top rallying talent across the country. He expressed the commitment to continuously elevate the stature and allure of the Indian National Rally Championship, making it more captivating for both competitors and the spectators.
The Rally of Arunachal-2023 featured various categories, including overall winner, INRC, INRC 2, INRC 3, INRC 4, Gypsy Class, JINRC (Junior INRC), and women’s class. The champions were crowned in each category, showcasing their exceptional performances and remarkable achievements.
The winners of the various categories are:
Overall winners (final ROA): 1st place: Aroor Arjun Rao & Satish Kumar Rajagopal of Mandovi Racing/Maruti Suzuki Baleno; 2nd place: Sheshank Jamwal & Aseem Sharma of Arka Motorsports/VW Polo; 3rd place: Dr Bikku Babu & Milen George of Chettinad Sporting/VW Polo.
INRC 2: 1st place: Dr Bikku Babu & Milen George of Chettinad Sporting/VW Polo 22; 2nd place: Philippos Matthai & Murthy PVS of Arka Motorsports/VW Polo; 3rd place: Chetan Shivram & Shiv Prakash of Snap Racing/VW Polo.
INRC 3: 1st place: Sheshank Jamwal & Aseem Sharma of Motorsports/VW Polo; 2nd place: Arnav Pratap Singh & Arjun SSB 2 of Ammyfied Rallying/VW Polo; 3rd place: Jahaan Gill & Suraj Keshava Prasad of Snap Racing/VW Polo.
INRC 4: 1st place: Abhin Rai & D Uday Kumar of Ammyfied Rallying/Honda City VTEC; 2nd place: Ruthuparna Vivek & Sanjay Agarwal of Snap Racing/Honda City VTEC; 3rd place: Phoebe Nongrum & Dr Dinesh S of Ammyfied Rallying/Maruti Suzuki Baleno.
Gypsy class: 1st place: Samrat Yadav & Arvind Dheerendra of Ammyfied Rallying/Maruti Suzuki Gypsy; 2nd place: Aman Preet Ahluwalia & Amber Udasi-piloted Maruti Suzuki Gypsy; 3rd place: Baljindar Singh Dhillon & Goutham CP-piloted Maruti Suzuki Gypsy.
JINRC (Junior INRC): 1st place: Arnav Pratap Singh & Arjun SSB of Ammyfied Rallying/VW Polo; 2nd place: Jahaan Gill & Suraj Keshava Prasad of Snap Racing/VW Polo; 3rd place: Mohommed Sahil & Eldo Chacko of Ammyfied Rallying/VW Polo.
Women’s class: 1st place: Anushriya Gulati & Arjun Dheerendra of Dark Don Rallying/VW Polo; 2nd place: Shivani Parmar & Dr Vani Parmar of Chettinad Sporting/Honda City; 3rd place: Nikeetaa Takkale & Venu Rameshkumar of Ammyfied Rallying/VW Polo.
