Rallyist Ashwin Naik (centre) and Pana Educational Institutions chairman Prasad K. Hegde (right) at the announcement of Pana’s sponsorship of Naik’s team for the European Rally Championship in Mangaluru on Saturday. Two Indian rallyists Amittrajit Ghosh of Kolkata and his co-driver/navigator Ashwin Naik from Mangaluru will hit the international rally circuit – the European Rally Championship (ERC) organised by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA). The rally will begin in Greece and end on June 3. The duo have already achieved a podium finish in 2016 in the British Rally Championship; but could not proceed further because of funds crunch, Mr. Naik said. Speaking to reporters, Mr. Naik said the team would be driving a Ford Fiesta R2 front-wheel drive car during the European Challenge. Though they wanted to go for a 4-wheel driven car, they could not afford the same. The team is now sponsored by Mangaluru-based Pana Education Group. Mr. Naik said he is partnering with Pana to start a motorsport academy for students from an early age. “In India, people get into a vehicle after 18 years because of legal requirements. By the time they get expertise in driving, their age would have caught up with them. On the other hand, people get into motor-sporting as early as at five years worldwide,” he said. The academy will train interested students, starting with small bikes, 50 to 75 cc, in motor-sporting. India has a huge pool of talent that has been enhanced by technology, Mr. Naik said. Pana’s chairman Prasad K. Hegde said the group has devised a special educational programme that runs on a format of an academy – Happiness Academy. “Our research has shown that a happy student is a bright student. The academy promotes various types of sports, including adventure sports,” he said. Other than adventure sports, the Happiness Academy also focuses on engineering, medicine, agriculture, etc. From Mangaluru, Ashwin Naik has won almost all rallies on Indian soil; he has won Himalayan Rally and Desert Storm five times each and Sub-Himalayan rally four times. Both Mr. Naik and Mr. Ghosh have been in the Team Mahindra Adventure Drivers in MRF FMSCI, IRC events.

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