The Indian Army’s Surya Spiti Bike Rally was flagged off on Tuesday from Jutogh Cantonment in Shimla. The rally, organised by the Army in collaboration with civilian riders, marks the start of a four-day expedition from August 12–15 to celebrate India’s 79th Independence Day at the Indo-China border in Spiti.
The rally was flagged off by Col Swapnil Raut, Commanding Officer of 871 Med. Regiment (Shingo), and Col CK Gunde, SM, Commanding Officer of 7 Mahar. It will end on August 15 with a ceremonial flag hoisting at Lepcha on the Indo-China border, led by Brig Anurag Pandey, Commander of the Tripeaks Brigade.
The rally aims to bring the Armed Forces and civilians closer, promote border tourism, and spread a message of unity and patriotism. During the journey, riders will meet local communities, visit schools, talk to veterans, and highlight India’s military heritage.
A total of 78 riders, including eight women, 70 men, and several serving Army personnel, will cover nearly 800 km through tough Himalayan terrain.
Rider Rajat Chopra said the taking part in the rally was a proud moment, as they would hoist the national flag at the India-Tibet-China border on Independence Day. “This Spiti Bike Rally with the Indian Army is truly special. Our main objective is to promote border tourism. On 15th August, we will celebrate Independence Day at the India-Tibet border, at Shiv Kila, which has recently opened for tourists. We will pass through villages like Nasik and stop at all Army posts en route. Our country is vast; instead of only travelling abroad, we should explore India and learn about our own heritage,” he said.
He also noted that biking keeps people away from bad habits like drug use, helps them connect with nature, and inspires them to protect the environment.
“When you see the culture and environment of other regions, you realise what good things you can bring back to your own hometown," he added.
Taran Ahuja from Uttarakhand said riding with the Indian Army brought a sense of safety. “The first thing is that we feel completely safe because the Indian Army is conducting this ride. In the mountains, discipline is essential from early starts to safe halts and riding with the Army ensures that. This is not just about adventure; we are also promoting the message of not littering, which unfortunately, many tourists ignore. India has every kind of landscape, beaches, mountains, hot deserts, cold deserts, and we must explore our own country,” he said.
One of the women riders, Mausimi Kapadia, stressed that passion matters more than age or gender. “Your age or gender does not decide what you can or cannot do. Follow your passion and live your life. This ride will be challenging, as we will quickly climb to over 15,000 feet, but the excitement is even greater because it's with the Army. The highlight will be the flag hoisting at the India-Tibet-China border on August 15,” she said.
"This is the kind of patriotic moment that gives you goosebumps. I believe in the idea of addiction, but the right kind of biking, travelling, something that educates and elevates you, not drugs. We are promoting sustainable tourism, recycling all our waste, and encouraging others to do the same. Passion has no gender; if you love something, do it wholeheartedly. Jai Hind!," she further said.
Rider Girish Chandra said he was proud to be part of the journey. “This ride is an exciting and adventurous journey for me. The chance to hoist the Indian flag at the India-Tibet-China border on Independence Day, alongside the Indian Army, fills me with pride,” he said.
Chandigarh-based biker Shankar Joshi, who has covered over one million km across India, said he rides for environmental and drug-free causes. “Riding with the Indian Army is always a matter of pride for me. I want to send the message that a drug-free society gets addicted to riding instead. I have travelled from Kashmir to Kanyakumari twice, ridden to Ladakh nine times, and this will be my 13th bike. After every 100,000 km, I retire a bike. My purpose is always to keep the mountains clean. I have even chased people to remind them not to litter. Before this, I participated in a Republic Day ride dedicated to fallen soldiers. This time, on August 15, we will send a message supporting tourism and environmental cleanliness from the Indo-China border,” he said.
The rally will pass through some of the most challenging Himalayan routes before ending with the Independence Day flag hoisting, a moment organisers say will symbolise the unity of country’s soldiers and citizens at the nation’s frontiers.
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