Indian Army's Surya Spiti Bike rally flagged off from Shimla: 78 riders to cover 800 km for Independence Day celebration

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], August 12 (ANI): The Surya Spiti Bike Rally, organised by the Indian Army in collaboration with civilian riders, was flagged off Tuesday from Jutogh Cantonment in Shimla, marking the start of August 12-15 expedition to celebrate India 79th Independence Day at the Indo-China border in Spiti.

The rally was jointly flagged off by Col Swapnil Raut, Commanding Officer, 871 Med. Regiment (Shingo), and Col CK. Gunde, SM, Commanding Officer, 7 Mahar. The culminating event on August 15 will be a ceremonial flag hoisting at Lepcha on the Indo-China border, led by Brig Anurag Pandey, Commander, Tripeaks Brigade.

The event aims to promote civil-military integration, strengthen bonds between the Armed Forces and civilians, encourage border tourism, and send a strong message of unity and patriotism. Along the route, the riders will engage with local communities, visit schools, interact with veterans, and showcase India military heritage.

A total of 78 participants, including eight women riders, 70 men, and several serving Army personnel, will cover around 800 km through the Himalayan terrain.

Rajat Chopra expressed his excitement to ANI, saying that the bike rally by the Indian Army is a proud moment for him as the riders would hoist the flag on the India-Tibet-China border on the 79th Independence Day.

This Spiti Bike Rally with the Indian Army is truly special. Our main objective is to promote border tourism. On 15th August, we will celebrate Independence Day at the India-Tibet border, at Shiv Kila, which has recently opened for tourists. We will pass through villages like Nasik and stop at all Army posts en route. Our country is vast; instead of only travelling abroad, we should explore India and learn about our own heritage, said Rajat Chopra.

Biking is the best way to avoid bad habits like drug use, connect with nature, and get inspired to protect the environment. When you see the culture and environment of other regions, you realise what good things you can bring back to your own hometown, he said.

Taran Ahuja, who hails from Uttarakhand, said that it always safe to ride with the support of the Indian Army.

The first thing is that we feel completely safe because the Indian Army is conducting this ride. In the mountains, discipline is essential from early starts to safe halts and riding with the Army ensures that. This is not just about adventure; we are also promoting the message of not littering, which unfortunately, many tourists ignore. India has every kind of landscape, beaches, mountains, hot deserts, cold deserts, and we must explore our own country, said Taran Ahuja.

For me, this ride is about self-discovery, not proving anything to anyone as a woman. Once you experience this kind of adventure, it becomes the best kind of addiction, one that keeps you away from drugs, she said.

Mausimi Kapadia told ANI that to ride the bike is not important, it your passion which matters.

Your age or gender does not decide what you can or cannot do. Follow your passion and live your life. This ride will be challenging, as we will quickly climb to over 15,000 feet, but the excitement is even greater because it with the Army. The highlight will be the flag hoisting at the India-Tibet-China border on 15th August, she said.

This is the kind of patriotic moment that gives you goosebumps. I believe in the idea of addiction, but the right kind of biking, travelling, something that educates and elevates you, not drugs. We are promoting sustainable tourism, recycling all our waste, and encouraging others to do the same. Passion has no gender; if you love something, do it wholeheartedly. Jai Hind!, she added.

Girish Chandra is enthusiastic and thrilled to be in the Himalayas with the Indian army.

This ride is an exciting and adventurous journey for me. The chance to hoist the Indian flag at the India-Tibet-China border on Independence Day, alongside the Indian Army, fills me with pride.

Shankar Joshi, a Chandigarh-based biker who has already ridden over 1 million km, told ANI that he has been riding in the Himalayas and across India for environmental and drug-free reasons. He feels proud to ride with the Indian army.

Riding with the Indian Army is always a matter of pride for me. I want to send the message that a drug-free society gets addicted to riding instead. Ive travelled from Kashmir to Kanyakumari twice, ridden to Ladakh nine times, and this will be my 13th bike. After every 100,000 km, I retire a bike. My purpose is always to keep the mountains clean. I have even chased people to remind them not to litter. Before this, I participated in a Republic Day ride dedicated to fallen soldiers. This time, on August 15, we will send a message supporting tourism and environmental cleanliness from the Indo-China border, said Shankar Joshi.

The rally will cover some of the most challenging Himalayan routes before culminating in the flag hoisting ceremony on Independence Day, a moment organisers say will symbolise the unity of India soldiers and citizens at the nation frontiers. (ANI)

Disclaimer: This news article is a direct feed from ANI and has not been edited by the News Nation team. The news agency is solely responsible for its content.