Face2News/Chandigarh
The Bharat Maha EV Rally, recognised as the world’s longest electric vehicle rally, reached Panjab University (PU) on its 98th day and was formally flagged off by PU Registrar Prof. Y.P. Verma, in the presence of faculty members, staff and research scholars.
Organised under the aegis of the International Federation of Electric Vehicle Association (IFEVA), the rally is being conducted with the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Shri Nitin Gadkari and Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Shri Piyush Goyal. The initiative has drawn participation and support from Chief Ministers, Governors, Central and State Ministers, Transport Departments, large and MSME electric vehicle companies, dealers and distributors, as well as reputed educational institutions including IITs, IIMs, NITs and universities across the country.
The rally has covered 27 States and eight Union Territories, passing through Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Nagaland, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Tripura, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir. Beyond India, the rally has also visited Bhutan and Nepal. Several Chief Ministers, Governors and Central and State Ministers have flagged off the rally in their respective States and constituencies. RSS Sarsanghchalak Dr Mohan Bhagwat also extended his support to the social awareness campaign during a meeting in Nagpur, Maharashtra.
The rally’s primary focus is to enhance public awareness about electric vehicles, address apprehensions related to EV adoption, and demonstrate the feasibility of long-distance travel using electric vehicles, thereby highlighting the expanding EV ecosystem and infrastructure across the country.
Students actively engaged in discussions on sustainable mobility, experienced EV test drives, and expressed enthusiasm about the ease and comfort of electric vehicle usage.
The Bharat Maha EV Rally aims to provide a comprehensive assessment of the current electric vehicle landscape in India. By engaging with government authorities, industry stakeholders, educational institutions and consumers, the initiative is collecting grassroots-level insights to support future policy formulation and strategic initiatives in the EV sector.
The core leadership team of the rally includes Dr Rajeev Mishra, President; Dr Shailendra Saroj, Chairman; Shri Srinivas Kumar Yerrapothu, Global Vice President; Dr Deepak Wadhwa, International Vice President (Battery); Shri Devesh Garg; Directors of the IFEVA Green Energy Foundation; Shri Ramendu Dixit, Publicity and Media Specialist; Divya Goyal, Vice President (Disabled); along with other members of the IFEVA team.
The initiative highlights India’s growing commitment to sustainable mobility and positions the country at the forefront of the global electric vehicle movement. The observations and reports generated through the rally are expected to contribute significantly to shaping the future of electric mobility in India.