Ahmedabad: Over 100 teams of drivers and their navigators took to the roads of Ahmedabad west on Sunday morning in a rally with a difference. The rally set a slightly different challenge for the teams: The drivers were not informed of the route, and their navigators could not see it.
The teams took it head on, with the blind navigators showing the way using instructions in Braille, and the drivers following their teammates’ lead. This was the 27th edition of the Car Rally for the Blind, organised by Ahmedabad Round Table 40 (ART-40) and Blind People’s Association (BPA). Dr Bhushan Punani, executive secretary of BPA, said that over the past quarter century, they have seen a sea change in the way the blind are seen by society.
“Such events bridge the gap between the perception or misnomers and the reality of what persons with blindness are capable of. We have so many stories to share when it comes to the event. Some have even landed jobs after spending these two hours on the road together,” he said. Pranhant Nihalani and Rohit Chandan finished first, followed by Tushar Manghrani and Mansi Chhajer. Hitesh Lalwani and Harish Hindocha came in close behind to take the third place. Winners in the women’s team category were Harsha Vyas and Hansa Siddharth, said rally convenor Anish Chaudhary.
Vivek Pareek, chairman of ART-40, said that there were two all-women teams this year, and there were some cars decorated on social themes. He said the participation in this year’s rally was the highest in a decade.