Drivers of Change 2025: The drive

India Today

23-04-2025

Since 1947, Mahindra & Mahindra is a name that's been synonymous with ever-growing change and an ability to ford the toughest of terrains thanks to its robust and off-road-focused vehicles. The homegrown brand's portfolio today is an extensive one, with offerings like the XUV3X0 to the Thar Roxx as well as the new age BE 6 electric vehicle. The coming together of the India Today Group and Mahindra Automotive for yet another season of Drivers of Change, with Auto Today at the helm, is a testament to the brand's belief in recognising the efforts of key individuals across the country. This time around, the theme followed 'Vikas' and 'Virasat', which translates to development and legacy, both of which are bywords in a country like India.
Neha Anand, VP & Head - XUV Brand Portfolio & International Marketing, Mahindra Auto, Yogendra Pratap, Editor, Auto Today, Rajesh Jejurikar, Executive Director & CEO, Auto & Farm Sector, Mahindra Group, Nalinikanth Gollagunta, CEO, Mahindra Auto and Manjari Upadhye, Chief Marketing Officer, Automotive Division at the flag-off of the second edition of Drivers of Change
advertisementA total of 15 unique individuals were chosen to be a part of this epic undertaking, each of which had proved to be pioneers in their respective fields, and are the reason for change in the system. Each of these achievers has a special story, each of them belongs to a field that sets it apart from the crowd and deserves the attention as well as praise from across the country. Venturing to each of these individuals' home grounds was no easy task, but this was the best way to celebrate their achievements and bring them to the fore. To commemorate this momentous occasion, which marked the start of a voyage that would see three Mahindra XUV700, the brand's flagship ICE-powered SUV, journey across the extensive network of expressways, highways and back roads from almost each and every part of the country.
Akshita Nandagopal interviews Nalinikanth Gollagunta, CEO, Mahindra Auto ahead of the flag-off
advertisementTo flag off the start, the entire team assembled at M&M's plant in Kandivali. This included Rajesh Jejurikar, ED & CEO, Auto & Farm Sectors along with Neha Anand, VP & Head- XUV Brand Portfolio & International Marketing as well as Yogendra Pratap, Editor, Auto Today. After words of encouragement from senior leadership at Mahindra Automotive, it was time for us to commence this grand tour that would see the Auto Today team leave Mumbai and go to corners of the country and back to the same plant.
Neha Anand, VP & Head - XUV Brand Portfolio & International Marketing, Mahindra Auto, Yogendra Pratap, Editor, Auto Today and Rajesh Jejurikar, Executive Director & CEO, Auto & Farm Sector, Mahindra Group share a moment together at Mahindra head quarters ahead of the flag-off.
The excitement in the air was palpable, as the cars lined up before the final off. Each of the XUV700s received a personal farewell, and all that was left was to head out and meet our very first achiever on this ambitious expedition.
The CEO and co-founder of IndiaP2P, Neha Juneja, which is a fintech platform responsible for creating high-yield investment products out of loans provided to women and small business owners. She is a seasoned entrepreneur also known for previously co-founding Greenway, one of India's largest clean cooking enterprises in the country and beyond. She spoke with us about the importance of female entrepreneurs, and how statistically there are fewer female defaulters on loans as compared to males. Her passion for providing a platform for those who need it the most is exactly the kind of inspiration that goes into being a Driver of Change. She along with her team is focused towards empowering and uplifting individuals through a medium that is simple, transparent and easy to understand.
Our first achiever before embarking on our mission across the length and breadth of our magnificent country was the CEO and co-founder of IndiaP2P, Neha Juneja, which is a fintech platform responsible for creating high-yield investment products out of loans provided to women and small business owners. She spoke with us about the importance of female entrepreneurs, and how statistically there are fewer female defaulters on loans as compared to males. Her passion for providing a platform for those who need it the most is exactly the kind of inspiration that goes into being a Driver of Change. She along with her team is focused towards empowering and uplifting individuals through a medium that is simple, transparent and easy to understand. After gaining more insight from her, it was time for the journey to commence and for us to move on and meet more achievers just like her. The team quickly made its way out of the hustle and bustle of Mumbai and headed towards our next destination - Hyderabad. But first, we halted in the city of Pune for the night.
After meeting our first achiever, the team headed from Mumbai to Hyderabad.
advertisementAs the trio of XUV700's pulled out of the heavy traffic of Mumbai, the night fell but as we got onto the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, we could finally enjoy what the XUV excels at - munching mile after mile. The journey for our first evening wasn't long as our break for the night lay in Pune, which we reached after a few hours. The next day, we had a 550km journey to Hyderabad, which was marked by brilliant stretches of highway. And while we had done thousands of kilometres in the previous edition of Drivers of Change, it was only a reminder as to why this SUV is perfect for a mega drive, its highway manners are excellent, and not only does it cruise effortlessly at triple digit speeds, it also has incredible dynamics.
Our 550km journey to Hyderabad was marked by brilliant stretches of highway where the XUV700 proved why it is perfect for a mega drive.
advertisementEvening fell as we drove into Hyderabad, and checked into our hotel to call it an early night. Most of us are aware of ISRO and their achievements, and as Indians we are proud of what our space organisation has done to be at the forefront of space exploration, but we often overlook that, space is also a business. A certain American private space company has made quite the name for itself in being a pioneer in Space exploration and satellite delivery, but back here, it is still in its nascent stage with a limited number of players, but one stands tall amongst the rest - Skyroot Aerospace.
Pawan helms Skyroot Aerospace, India's only private company to have launched a rocket into space. His experience as a rocket scientist working for ISRO only expanded his knowledge of space, and technological expertise, as today he paves the trajectory for India's private space sector, intending to open space for all. Pawan's vision of evolving space from a scientific frontier to a commercially viable sector has been the driving force behind Skyroot. And as the world constantly demands more satellites in orbit, Pawan's dream of an economically viable satellite delivery business takes India to the forefront of the space sector, which will also cater to global clients.
advertisementCo-founder Pawan Chandana has had extensive experience in the space industry working with ISRO and today leads Skyroot, which became the first Indian private company to launch a rocket into space in 2022. After the successful launch of the Vikram-S, Skyroot is working on the Vikram-1 launch vehicle, for which they have already conducted a Stage-1 test. The idea behind Skyroot Driving the Change in the Aerospace industry is that the Earth to Space transportation is an expensive endeavor, with access limited to a handful of Government and private space agencies. He is working towards a mission to open Space for all, through the Vikram series of rockets, named after the Father of Indian Space programme, Vikram Sarabhai. As we pulled into Skyroot's MAX-Q facility at Hyderabad Aerodrome we could gauge the level of enthusiasm and effort that has been put into making Skyroot a Driver of Change, from its futuristic facility, and in-house fabrication of rocket components to bringing changes in policy to make space a more accessible sector.
The next stop for was Bengaluru where the XUV700 convoy cruised in with Active Cruise Control and Lane Keep Assist switched on.
Post Hyderabad, the convoy of XUV700s drove to India's tech capital - Bengaluru to meet our next Driver of Change and this 500-odd kilometre journey allowed us to appreciate the advanced technologies in the XUV700. With the Active Cruise Control and Lane Keep Assist switched on, we cruised to Karnataka's capital, and did appreciate the levels that Mahindra has reached with their world-class tech.
Dr Rao is the Group Director for Head & Neck Surgical Oncology and Robotic Surgery at HCG Cancer Centre, Bengaluru and has handled more than 10,000 cases. He is the inventor of the Aum Voice Prosthesis, an affordable device designed for throat cancer patients that allows them to speak even after the removal of their voice boxes, post surgery. He has several patents filed for his invention and innovations in the field of medical devices and techniques and is a pioneer in cancer research.leads the Saarthi Trust, advocating for women's and children's rights through initiatives like the 'Aapno Saathi' helpline and slum creches. During our interview we even had the opportunity to meet one of Dr Rao's patients, and heard him speak, all courtesy of Aum.
In Bengaluru we met Dr Vishal Rao, who is the Group Director for Head & Neck Surgical Oncology and Robotic Surgery at HCG Cancer Centre. He has handled over 10,000 cases, and is a pioneer in cancer research and one of his key achievements is the invention of the Aum Voice Prosthesis. His work has allowed thousands of cancer patients to speak, and lead a normal life. He has also been working with the Disabilities Ministry to allow individuals who lose their voice to be recognised as disabled, to ensure that everyone can gain access to Aum, regardless of their economic status. As we drove out of Bengaluru, one thought was on everyone's minds, that technology has advanced humankind and made our lives better, not just in finding out the secrets of space, but helping those who have had medical problems lead a normal life, and that is what makes Dr Rao a Driver of Change.
Thiruvananthapuram was the next destination as it is the home to two of our achievers.
Our next destination lay in Thiruvananthapuram, also home to two of our Drivers of Change. First we met Vimal Govind, CEO & Director of Genrobotics, one of India's premier robotics companies. One of the premier innovations is the Bandicoot, which is the worlds-first manhole-cleaning robot has had a transformative effect, eliminating the need for manual scavenging, ensuring safe working environments for sanitation workers. The Bandicoot has already been implemented at various locations pan India.
Thiruvananthapuram offers the vibrance of the coast that perfectly blended with our mission.
As we drove through Thiruvananthapuram, the vibrance and culture of the coastal city blended perfectly with our mission, as after meeting Drivers of Change who have made strides in the world of technology, we were heading to meet someone who has innovated in the field of culture and heritage.
Methil Devika is an exponent of Mohiniyattam, and is responsible for merging Indian sign language with the hand gestures of classical dance for her performance titled 'Crossover', under her visionary project 'Dance Philanthropy and Social Inclusion'. Her visionary fushion performance enables individuals with hearing impairments to understand the story. Over the past 30 years, she has excelled as a dancer, researcher at ISRO's Indian Institute of Space Sciences and Technology, art curator and has dabbled in motion pictures as an actor.
Methil Devika, an actress and an exponent of Mohiniyattam. She is responsible for merging the Indian sign language with the hand gestures of the classic dance, for her performances, that allows those with hearing and speech impairments to experience the entirety of the performances. She also teaches others in this unique art form, ensuring that the culture and the innovation continues to spread.From Thiruvananthapuram, we head to the southernmost tip of India, Kanyakumari, and while the confluence of the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal provided a perfect backdrop for the Drivers of Change convoy to finish its western seaboard leg, our northward journey from here was marked by kilometres upon kilometres of wind farms, the Muppandal wind farm corridor which is the largest such facility in India with an installed capacity of 1,500MW. As the sun set, we drove towards one of the key landmarks when it comes to India's geography - Rameswaram. But in this section of South India, the roads aren't the widest, and most are dual carriageways, but we did appreciate the CatEyes and the traffic lights whenever there was a crossing. We reached Rameshwaram late, and rested as much as we could, because we had a very important task at hand, the sunrise at Dhanushkodi. This remarkable piece of land, connected by a bridge, is surrounded by the Bay of Bengal on all sides, and is a truly breathtaking scene to behold, especially if one reaches the spot for the sunrise.
Kanyakumari'sconfluence of the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal provided a perfect backdrop for the Drivers of Change convoy.
After a long photography session at Dhanushkodi, we got back into the XUV700s and immediately appreciated the ventilated seats, because while the northern part of the country was still experiencing pleasant weather, the South had become an oven. From Rameswaram, we got on the road for our long journey to Pondicherry, and the XUV700 made short work of the distance, thanks to the powerful 2.2-litre diesel that makes overtakes easy, especially in this commercially active part of the country. We explored the former French colony and its serene architecture the next morning, and quickly got onto the NH16 after Chennai, and these excellent highways, part of the Golden Quadrilateral network meant that we quickly racked up the miles on our almost thousand kilometre journey. Certain bad stretches on the route did slow us down, but the benefits of XUV700's excellent multi-terrain capability meant that we didn't really have to be very careful about the potholes and gravel patches.
The building in the backdrop of the XUV700 serves as the headquarters of Generobotic Innovations inThiruvananthapuram.
After driving the whole day, the XUV700s pulled into Visakhapatnam, but despite the long journey, the entire team was more or less fatigue-free, and that is why the XUV700 was chosen as our steed for this 10,000km journey. Visakhapatnam's prime attraction, the INS Kurusura submarine museum on the Ramakrishna Beach road saw the Drivers of Change convoy passing through early the next morning. As we passed beside the submarine museum, and the several other museums that celebrate the Indian Navy's rich history. After exploring this region, we head northwards, continuing on the route, as we drove along the coast, we caught stunning glimpses of the Chilika lake, India's largest brackish water lake. We pulled into Bhubaneswar, and immediately appreciated the benefits of a planned urban centre. This also marked the 4,000km mark for our mega journey across the nation.
Vimal has led Genrobotics to solve problems of society, simplifying life-threatening situations and enhancing livelihoods by robotic solutions. One of his premier innovations is the Bandicoot, which is the worlds-first manhole-cleaning robot has had a transformative effect, eliminating the need for manual scavenging, ensuring safe working environments for sanitation workers. The Bandicoot has already been implemented at various locations pan India. Vimal also demonstrated the G-Gaiter, a robot which is used to rehabilitate patients who are paraplegic. The G-Gaiter's AI gait-pattern and rehabilitation process ensures that each patient is supported by the robot to help them walk in a natural manner, with tailored assistance, controlled automatically or by medical practitioners.
Leaving Bhubaneshwar in the rearview, we set our sights on a place that you've probably never heard of. Chakulia is a small town on the outskirts of Jamshedpur in Jharkhand. There's something meditative about these long drives—the hum of the road, the landscape shifting from cityscapes to open fields, the miles ticking away almost unnoticed. And the XUV700's ability to quietly and smoothly eat away at the miles makes it even more so. As we crossed into Jharkhand, the roads narrowed, winding through small towns and villages where the pace of life seemed slower. Chakulia used to be an Air Force base during the Second World War. Today though the Air Force base may be overgrown with tumbleweeds wafting gently across the runaways, it has been repurposed for the most noble of causes. This place was home to Dr Shalini Mishra, a woman managing an almost unimaginable responsibility—a gaushala housing 21,000 cattle.
There's something meditative about these long drives—the hum of the road, the landscape shifting from cityscapes to open fields, the miles ticking away almost unnoticed.
At first glance, it was hard to comprehend the scale. The shelter sprawled across fifty acres, home to cows that had been abandoned, injured, or rescued from being illegally trafficked for slaughter. Shalini had made it her life's mission to ensure they have a home, coordinating everything from food supply to veterinary care.
Dr Shalini's gaushala sprawlsacross fifty acres, home to cows that had been abandoned, injured, or rescued from being illegally trafficked for slaughter.
The enormity of the operation was staggering. Managing 21,000 cattle required a logistical effort few could imagine—organizing fodder, ensuring medical treatment, and simply keeping the place running. And yet, there was no sense of exhaustion in Shalini. Just quiet determination.
A former medical practitioner, Shalini Mishra gave up her thriving practice in Mumbai to dedicate her life to the rescue, shelter and upliftment of the lives of cows and bulls that are being trafficked out of the country. At present, her shelter houses 21,000 bulls and 900 cows that have been saved en route to trafficking, by authorities. Over the years, her shelter in Chakulia has grown multifold, with the police and armed forces counting on her for the rescue and rehabilitation of the cows and bulls that are saved from trafficking.
As we left, the sun dipped low, casting long shadows over the fields. The road ahead curved towards the mountains, and we carried her story with us.The shift from plains to hills was gradual at first, then dramatic. The air turned crisp, the road coiled tighter, and tea estates began dotting the slopes. The drive was a reminder that while highways get you places faster, there's something special about mountain roads—the way they slow you down, making you appreciate every turn, every change in scenery. Even narrow ones like the roads to Darjeeling give you a chance to slow down and appreciate the place that you are in. If you're lucky you might find yourself alongside the iconic toy train with it's steam engine puffing along on its way to Darjeeling from Siliguri, which adds to the visual throwback.
The mountain roads make you slow down and appreciate every turn and change in scenery.
As we climbed towards Darjeeling, the landscape transformed. Dense forests gave way to open stretches with panoramic views. The twisting roads demanded precision, but the drive was effortless, even through the sharp hairpins and steep ascents. Darjeeling welcomed us with its usual charm—narrow roads lined with colourful houses, the scent of fresh tea drifting through the air. Our halt at a tea estate offered a moment of calm before we pushed ahead, descending towards Guwahati.The next stretch was endurance, covering hundreds of kilometres through changing landscapes. From winding hill roads, we eased into the wide highways of Assam, where long bridges spanned mighty rivers. The journey was relentless but never tiring, the XUV700 settling into a comfortable rhythm, matching the vastness of the terrain. Guwahati, with its energy and movement, was a brief but necessary pause before we turned towards Meghalaya. The next stop was Mawsynram, and the weather had already started to shift.The rain arrived as expected—first as a drizzle, then as a relentless downpour. Mawsynram, the wettest place on Earth, lived up to its reputation. The roads narrowed, winding through mist-covered hills and waterfalls that seemed to pour directly from the clouds.
A native to Meghalaya, Morningstar Khongthaw, realised his life's work at the tender age of sixteen. It was to preserve the culture of his people and the indigenous tribes of Meghalaya through the art of living root bridges that have been a part of the region's culture for over a thousand years. He is the founder and chairman of the Living Roots Foundation and the Heritage Commitee, which helps spread his message of 'going back to your roots' by bringing in people from around the world and giving them an immersive experience of making and maintaining these incredible bridges. In fact, he's been a part of many a study that look to integrate these incredible structures in modern sustainable cities and remote locations across the world.
Here, we met Morningstar Khongthaw, a man dedicated to preserving the art of living root bridges. Unlike conventional bridges, these are grown—tree roots guided and woven over decades to form structures that are both natural and functional. Morningstar's mission was not just about maintaining them but also about ensuring the next generation learned the craft.Watching him at work, guiding villagers as they shaped young roots over a river, was a quiet reminder of how progress and tradition don't always have to be at odds. Some things take time, and some things are worth the wait. Morningstar's eyes gleamed as he left us with his parting words 'I say, we should all look to our roots, god knows that I have'The bridges weren't just structures; they were symbols of patience, resilience, and deep-rooted knowledge passed down through generations.
As we moved from Meghalaya to Bihar, we came across long stretches of roads surrounded byvast agricultural lands.
From the dense greenery of Meghalaya, we moved towards the plains of Bihar. The drive was long, cutting through the heart of India, where vast agricultural lands stretched for miles. The landscape flattened, and soon we found ourselves in Patna, where we met Sudha Varghese.
Sudha Varghese's inspiration for her life's work was a magazine article that highlighted the plight of Bihar's Musahar dalit community. Musahar literally translates to 'rat eaters', they were considered untouchable and were not allowed to own land and were forced to work as poorly paid farm works. Even as a child in the school, the squalor of their living conditions affected her. She decided to adopt this community and dedicate her life to their holistic betterment. Despite growing up in Kerala, Varghese refers to the community as her people and has started a school in Patna called 'Prerna' which translates to inspiration, as she is for so many people from the community that she uplifted.
Sudha had dedicated her life to empowering Dalit women, giving them access to education and self-sufficiency programs. In a world that often overlooked them, she made sure they had the tools to shape their futures. She spoke of the challenges—social resistance, financial struggles, and deep-rooted biases—but also of the change she had seen. Women who once had no voice now ran businesses, educated their daughters, and made decisions that shaped their communities.She showed us a school where young girls were learning, many of them the first in their families to hold a pen. But it doesn't stop at education, Varghese says that the most important part of integration into society is ensuring that they have gainful employment, to that end she has started vocational training for her students to ensure that they have jobs. Her work was proof that change isn't always loud. Sometimes, it's the steady, persistent effort that makes the biggest difference. The last leg of the journey felt familiar, the kind of drive where the destination pulls you forward. As the highways unfolded and the signs for Delhi grew more frequent, the weight of the trip settled in.
We covered the 700km Delhi to Ujjain journey through the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal Expressway (KMP Expressway), a route that befits the Mahindra XUV700.
After the convoy reconvened in the capital city of Delhi, we had already covered close to 9,000km and we were heading towards the twilight of this momentous voyage. There had already been inspiring achievers all across the map, and we had yet more of them on our way back to where our journey originally began in the first place. After a good night's rest, it was time to head towards Ujjain, which is situated in Madhya Pradesh and is roughly 700km from Delhi. For the route out of the city, we took The Kundli-Manesar-Palwal Expressway (KMP Expressway), which is a six-lane highway, and then merged on the newly minted Delhi-Mumbai expressway, which is a beautifully laid-out road. This is exactly the kind of environment that befits the likes of the mighty Mahindra XUV700. We arrived by nightfall through a lovely mix of roads that changed between four-lane and two-lane, all of which were well-paved.
Yogesh Malviya is a former Mallakhamb player who now coaches young minds in this ancient Indian gymnastic sport. He is the first Mallakhamb coach to receive the prestigious Dronacharya Award, and his students have received multiple awards on the national stage. Malviya hopes to take Mallakhamb to a whole new level and wants to inspire many more to take up this articulate yet tough sport. He spoke about the sport and its recognition in the Olympics in the 1930s and hopes to bring back the glory days of this homegrown sport. It was a sight to behold, watching young athletes climb up and down the specially made wooden pole or rope, performing physics-defying acts and landing down with perfect precision, all under the watchful eye of their coach. The facilities provided on the grounds of the temple have served as the perfect spot for training and performing in front of many fans of this unique sport.
The next day, it was time to meet another achiever at Ujjain's famous Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga temple. Yogesh Malviya is a former Mallakhamb player who now coaches young minds in this ancient Indian gymnastic sport. He is the first Mallakhamb coach to receive the prestigious Dronacharya Award, and his students have received multiple awards on the national stage. Malviya hopes to take Mallakhamb to a whole new level and wants to inspire many more to take up this articulate yet tough sport. He spoke about the sport and its recognition in the Olympics in the 1930s and hopes to bring back the glory days of this homegrown sport. It was a sight to behold, watching young athletes climb up and down the specially made wooden pole or rope, performing physics-defying acts and landing down with perfect precision, all under the watchful eye of their coach. After spending most of the day with Malviya and his students, and witnessing their one-of-a-kind sport firsthand, we headed towards our next destination with hope filled in our hearts to meet more such inspiring individuals.
To reach our next stop, Nasvadi, we drove through the beautiful countryside.
The next stop for our convoy was Nasvadi, Gujarat, which was a short but beautiful drive through the countryside. Since it was only around 300km away, we decided to soak in the beauty of our villages and the roads that cut through some of the most beautiful spreads of fields we'd seen throughout our trip. Although the roads weren't in great condition, the XUV700's FSD or Frequency Selective Dampers made sure any and all roads were tackled with the same kind of poise. Since the weather was getting warmer as we headed back towards the west, the dual-zone climate control and the ventilated front seats were a boon in the trying weather. All throughout, the XUV700 kept us cocooned in absolute comfort and we arrived to meet our next achiever who followed a similar sport-based theme as our previous one.
Dinesh Bhil was a former national archery champion and is known for being the director and coach at the Eklavya Archery Academy. This institution is responsible for training young students in archery from across the country. Those trained by him have gone on to win accolades across several championships in our country and beyond. Moreover, Bhil takes care of the food, water and shelter for all the kids that come to his academy, demonstrating his genuine want to foster young talent.
Dinesh Bhil was a former national archery champion and is known for being the director and coach at the Eklavya Archery Academy. This institution is responsible for training young students in archery from across the country. Moreover, Bhil takes care of the food, water and shelter for all the kids that come to his academy, demonstrating his genuine want to foster young talent in this sport.
Jagat Kinkhabwala, who is fondly known as the 'Sparrow Man', is an environmental conservationist, nature specialist, environment management consultant and writer. He has dedicated his life to the conversation of the environment, and has authored several books, one of which is titled 'Save the Sparrows'. He's also invented a unique and nature-friendly nest for birds, that can be easily set up and distributed without a hassle. Furthermore, he was honoured by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his exceptional work towards the conversation work and was invited on the PM's 'Mann Ki Baat' radio programme . He's also contributed to the protection of sparrows by distrubting more than 50,000 nests free of cost, and provided several lectures on the same.
We continued onwards in the great state of Gujarat and headed towards Ahmedabad to meet yet another great mind, one who is a nurturer of the environment and believes that we as a species have to realise that we share this planet and do it responsibly. Jagat Khinkhabwala, who is fondly known as the 'Sparrow Man', is an environmental conservationist, nature specialist, environment management consultant and writer. He has dedicated his life to the conversation of the environment, and has authored several books, one of which is titled 'Save the Sparrows'. He's also invented a unique and nature-friendly nest for birds, that can be easily set up and distributed without a hassle. After spending time with him at his lovely home, we made a quick dash to Vadodra, which is situated 100km away from Ahmedabad, and has the NE-1 or National Expressway-1.
Her Royal Highness Radhikaraje Gaekwad, who dedicated her life to empowering the LGBTQ+ community and protecting the rights of marginalised members of society through her philanthropic work. She hails from the royal family of Wankaner State and is married to the Samarjitsinh Gaekwad, the honorary Maharaja of Baroda. Her grace and humble nature are exactly the kind of soft touch each of our achievers has showcased in one form or the other. She is also deeply involved in preserving Baroda's rich cultural heritage, and Indian culture as a whole. Apart from this, she also actively promotes the region's arts and crafts as well reviving ancient weaving techniques.
Our next achiever was Her Royal Highness Radhikaraje Gaekwad, who dedicated her life to empowering the LGBTQ+ community and protecting the rights of marginalised members of society through her philanthropic work.
After Vadodara, the XUV700 convoy headed out to the diamond city of Surat.
Once we had spent the night in Vadodara, and explored the city centre and its many attractions in the wee hours of the morning, it was time to head to the next big city in Gujarat, the diamond city of Surat.
Nilesh Mandlewala, founder and president of Donate Life, an organisation that's graciously touched the lives of many with its transformational work in the field of organ donation. Under his supervision, Surat has quickly gained fame as the 'Organ Donor City' in the country. He shared many occasions on which he has successfully facilitated organ donation for those in need but doesn't have the means for such a complicated procedure. He also spoke at length about the difficulties involved with educating the masses about the noble act of donating one's organs for the greater good of society. In 1997, his father suffered a kidney failure due to which he had to receive dialysis from 2004. This was the inspiration behind his noble pursuit of providing aid to those most in need.
There we met with Nilesh Mandlewala, founder and president of Donate Life, an organisation that's graciously touched the lives of many with its transformational work in the field of organ donation. Under his supervision, Surat has quickly gained fame as the 'Organ Donor City' in the country. He also spoke at length about the difficulties involved with educating the masses about the noble act of donating one's organs for the greater good of society. It was now time to head towards our final destination. Although we had yet more wonderful achievers to meet, there was a feeling of finality to this final stretch of road from Gujarat to Maharashtra.
Bahuddin Dagar is an exponent of the Rudraveena, which is an ancient classical musical instrument of India. He has been practising said instrument in the genre called 'Dhrupad', which is the oldest living vocal tradition in India. His musical inspiration came from his father and uncle, both musical prodigies as well. After providing us with the utmost hospitality and gracing us with his short but magnificent performance. He belongs a long Dagar lineage of artists that was started by Nayak Haridas Dagar and has spanned for over 20 generations. He has received multiple accolades which include Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for Hindustani Music - Instrumental (Rudraveena). He conducted his first concert at the age of 20, and has since peformed all over the world.
We arrived in the city of Mumbai late in the evening before meeting our final two achievers the next day. First, we headed to meet Bahuddin Dagar, who is an exponent of the Rudraveena, which is an ancient classical musical instrument of India. He has been practising this instrument in the genre called 'Dhrupad', which is the oldest living vocal tradition in the country. After providing us with the utmost hospitality and gracing us with his short but magnificent performance, we bid farewell and headed to meet our final achiever.
Kamiya Jani is an entrepreneur, mother and traveller, juggling each walk of life with equal ease. Apart from being the founder and editor-in-chief of one of the most popular travel and food platforms in the country, Curly Tales, she is known for her humble beginnings as well as her extraordinary success story. She has travelled to more than 40 countries and 153 cities across the globe. Jani has also expanded her business beyond India, and plans to extend her reach even further. She previously worked as a business journalist and television anchor for multiple media organisations. She says that her biggest inspiration is her mother who played a major role in the shaping her current trajectory in life. Her next endeavour is to provide a platform to street food vendors across the nation.
Kamiya Jani is an entrepreneur, mother and traveller, juggling each walk of life with equal ease. Apart from being the founder and editor-in-chief of Curly Tales, she is known for her humble beginnings as well as her extraordinary success story. For the final act of our epic voyage, which spanned more than 10,000km, 15 achievers and three Mahindra XUV700s, we headed down to the Gateway of India and decided to end the journey with an introspective note, reflecting on the change it made on us, our country and the achievers. Subscribe to Auto Today Magazine