Garhwal Post Bureau
Pithoragarh, 22 Sep: The Kumaon Car Rally 2026, organised by the Indian Army in collaboration with Renault India, with Maverick as the Media Partner, culminated at Pithoragarh on Monday. The week-long rally was flagged off from Bareilly on 15 September by Lt Gen D G Mishra, GOC Uttar Bharat. The expedition highlighted the potential of border tourism while strengthening the connect with communities in the frontier areas.
The rally traversed the challenging route covering Pithoragarh, Dharchula, Gunji, Lipulekh, Om Parvat, Kalapani and Adi Kailash, before returning to Pithoragarh. Participants experienced the region’s spectacular natural beauty, spiritual significance and the unique lifestyle of communities inhabiting the border areas.
The expedition comprised 10 Panchshul Gunners, along with Army veterans, social media influencers and entrepreneurs. During the journey, the participants interacted with school children, ex-servicemen and local residents in remote border villages. The interactions also provided an opportunity to inspire the youth to join the Armed Forces and contribute to nation-building, while highlighting the values of courage, sacrifice and service.
Beyond adventure, the rally aimed to promote border tourism, create avenues for local livelihoods, encourage reverse migration and support the objectives of the Government’s Vibrant Villages Programme. It also showcased the rich cultural heritage and natural wealth of Kumaon to a wider audience.
The Kumaon Car Rally 2026 reinforced the message that border villages are not merely geographical frontiers, but vibrant communities and important centres of India’s cultural heritage, national unity and development.
