Chandigarh, March 18 : ‘The 21st Blind Challenge Car Rally’ titled 'HAMSAFAR' was organised by Arushi, in collaboration with Caryakshetra. This year, the rally embraced the powerful theme 'HAMSAFAR' , a name coined by famous poet Gulzar Sahab, symbolizing a collective journey towards inclusivity. The
rally's aim was to promote the empowerment and inclusion of persons with disabilities in all aspects of life. The rally was flagged off by chief guest - former Chief of Army Staff, Gen V P Malik (Retd.) from the parking lot next to the Eiffel Tower Replica, Leisure Valley , Sector 10, Chandigarh.
Guest of honour , Garima Singh(IRS) , Principal Commissioner of Income Tax (PCIT), in her address, highlighted the significance of empathy and unwavering support for individuals with disabilities, praising the remarkable courage displayed by all participants. She emphasized that the 21st Blind Challenge Car Rally was a powerful testament to the values of trust, collaboration, and the vital need for building an inclusive and accessible world for everyone.
A total of 50 vehicles participated, with navigators from various institutions in Chandigarh. Lt. Col. Inderjit Singh, along with navigator Rohit, emerged victorious, securing the first place and a cash prize of Rs 11,000. CA Sanjeev Kumar Lakhatia and navigator Simar took second place, winning Rs 7,100, while Adit Malik and Daksh claimed third place, earning Rs 5,100. All participants received trophies and e-certificates. Special trophies were awarded in various categories.
The rally route covered 30 kilometers through the streets of Chandigarh and Mohali, navigating clear roads along Jan Marg, Himalaya Marg, Sarovar Path, Sukhna Path, and St. Kabir School Traffic Lights, among others, before concluding at Omaxe New Chandigarh. The event’s route was dotted with strategically placed checkpoints to ensure participants adhered to traffic rules, maintained speed limits, and did not overspeed.
In a unique display of inclusivity, sighted drivers were paired with visually impaired navigators who guided them using Braille route maps. The rally was meticulously managed by Neeraj Gulati from Genius, a Creative Group, ensuring that road safety norms were followed and penalty points were issued for any violations. Competitors who finished with the fewest penalty points were declared the winners, with one penalty point for each minute of delay and five penalty points for entering a checkpoint a minute early.
The prize distribution ceremony was held at Omaxe New Chandigarh, where Gen. V P Malik (Retd.) presented the awards to the winners. Gen. Malik congratulated the Arushi team and Caryakshetra for the successful organization of the event and praised the spirit of accessibility and collaboration that it showcased.
Notably, the event witnessed the presence of many distinguished personalities, including Alok Verma, Binod Kumar Singh, H.S. Gujral, Dharminder Sharma, Brig Vikram Goswami (Retd.), Maj. D.P. Singh, Pramod Vats, and Suparna Sachdev, who joined as special guests.
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