Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SB)

Mangaluru, May 20: For the first time in the motor rallying history of India, two Indian rallyists, Amittrajit Ghosh of Kolkatta and his co-driver/navigator Ashwin Naik from Mangaluru will hit the international rally circuit - The European Rally Championship (ERC) organised by the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile. The rally will began in Greece on June 1 and will end on June 3. Amrittrajit Ghosh and Ashwin Naik have already achieved a podium finish in 2016 in the British rally championship. The duo has been sponsored by Pana, the Mangaluru-based educational conglomerate.

The Indian team - Amittrajit Ghosh and Ashwin Naik will be driving a Ford Fiesta R2 car which will be emblazoned with the logo and name of the Mangaluru based Pana Group of Educational Institutions.

Chairman of Pana Group of Institution Prasad Hegde said, "You may wonder what is the connection between motor rallying and education at Pana; we devised a special educational programme which runs on the format of an academy, and we have christened it happiness academy. Our research has shown that a happy student is a bright student, our academy promotes various types of sports particularly the adventure sports of which motor rallying is a part of. Adventure sports enhances the confidence level of youth. It prepares the mind and body of the students for life, it teaches application of the combined prowess of body and mind which is why we have adventure sports as an additional learning programme. Our aim is to bring up the students as a well rounded individual, responsible for self and others, we are soon launching programes of driving mannerisms and safety for future mobile users. Ashwin is the brand ambassador of Pana adventure sport."

About Ashwin Naik and Amittrajit Ghosh

Being a Mangalurean Ashwin Naik has won almost all rallies on Indian soil, he has won Himalayan rally and desert storm five time each, sub himalayan rally four times and taken a podium finish in the British rally championship along with Amittrajit Ghosh in 2016.

Amittrajit Ghosh a multiple national rally and racing champion will begin his campaign in round 3 of the EKO Acropolis rally in Lamia town in Greece on June 1. With a demanding and busy rallying schedule ahead of him Ghosh will drive in the Latvian rally championship where he will drive the Ford fiesta R2 car by the end of this week just before the ERC at Greece.

"Our aim is to gain cutting edge expirience in valuable miles and expirience through this year which will add to our performance. Currently in London preparing for a big event. It is a proud moment for me and Ashwin to become the driver-co driver team of India to participate in the prestigious ERC at Greece, which second only to the world rally championship (WRC) in difficulty level and multi terrain challenges", said Amittrajit Ghosh.

Both Ashwin and Amittrajit Ghosh have been in the team Mahindra adventure drivers in MRF FMSCI, IRC events.