The rally was flagged off by Ms. Sunila Dhar, Deputy General Manager (Marketing) Maruti Suzuki.
The rally is a test of a competitor's dexterity in handling rough roads, uncertain and extreme weather conditions and the strength and endurance of his vehicle.
The competition will culminate in Leh on October 12.
This year's Raid-de-Himalaya will feature around 150 teams with around 260 participants in the four wheeler and two wheeler categories who will brave the inhospitable terrains and weather conditions of the Western Himalayas to compete for the top prize.
The tough route this year goes through some of the highest motorable passes and human settlements in the world.
These include Darcha (3360 mts), Keylong (3440 mts), Leh (3524 mts), Kaza (3650 mts), Dhanka (3894 mts), Losar (4079 mts), Rumtse (4300 mts), Kunzum La (4551 mts), Komik (4587 mts), Pang (4600 mts) & Wari La (5313 mts).
On the occasion, Maruti Suzuki COO (Marketing and Sales) Mayank Pareek, said, "Maruti Suzuki's association with motoring events like Raid-de-Himalaya represents the company's DNA of providing excitement to India's motoring enthusiasts."
The motorists will compete across three categories: X-treme 4-wheelers (50 teams), X-treme 2-wheelers (34 participants) (both Xtreme 2W and 4W categories cater to professional motorsport enthusiasts), and 60 teams in the Adventure Trial category for amateurs. MORE
