Ahmedabad Round Table Car Rally, jointly organised by Blind People's Association (BPA) and Ahmedabad Round Table 40, was held at the GMDC ground on Sunday.
Ahmedabad Round Table Car Rally, jointly organised by Blind People’s Association (BPA) and Ahmedabad Round Table 40, was held at the GMDC ground on Sunday.
The event, being held for 17 years in the city, had 142 cars participating this year. Around 500 people across the state took part. The venue witnessed the new BMW X1 flag-off. Mayor Asit Vora inaugurated the event. In the rally, blind navigators using an 11-page route map in Braille guided sighted drivers through a 70-km route in and around the city. Criteria like distance, direction, time and landmarks were predetermined.
The rally spread the message to accept the visually impaired as competent people who can command, manage and lead a situation. It also created a platform for communication between the differently able and society. An endearing relationship builds up between the driver and navigator which turns into a lifelong friendship. One of the cars at the venue was decked up with the slogans of ‘Save girl child ‘and ‘Save trees’ and was expected to be the winner for best decorated car.
Bhushan Punani, executive director of BPA, said, “We have seen many drivers who give their awards to navigators as tokens of love and affection. It builds up camaraderie and sense of equality among people and awareness about the cause.”
There was a large participation of youngsters in the car rally this year. Expensive, classy cars like BMW’s, Accent, Santro, Ford and Nissan took part. There were several women drivers. One of them, Kiran Singh said, “I have always been passionate about cars and this was a golden opportunity for me to share space with a blind person. I was completely following the navigator’s commands.”
Samir Kakkad, a differently abled person who makes disabled-friendly cars was an active participant in the rally. “It was an adventurous and exciting experience with a professional approach towards track management. In 1995, it was the platform from where I started off my journey. I’m sure it is an effective way to boost confidence of the disabled people.”
Trophies and cash prizes were given to the first three winners, with special prizes for women drivers and disabled drivers.
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