A Tata Hexa, 4 Gutsy Women, a 24,000km Road Trip and one Epic Tale

Words by Vishnu G Haarinath

How often have you heard, or perhaps even thought, that driving isn’t really a woman’s cup of tea? Allow us a second to blow such perceptions to smithereens as we introduce you to Meenakshi Aravind, Mookambika Rathinam, Ruckmani V and Priya Rajpal. These four gutsy ladies are off on what many men would shy away from without a second’s thought. They are on their way to London from India…by road…in a made in India Tata Hexa.

Christened ‘XPD 24-70’ – XPD standing for expedition, 24 for the number of countries en route and 70 denoting India’s Independence year and the number of days they will be on the road, the team was flagged off from Imphal. But it isn’t another joy ride with a manufacturer earning piggyback marketing either. There’s a purpose to the trip, and a serious one at that. The drive is actually aimed at raising funds for the Rotary India Literacy Mission and will also highlight the cause of women’s empowerment, irrespective of borders and cultures.

To help them munch the massive 24,000km distance, Tata Motors has provided them with an automatic variant of the newly launched Hexa SUV that should see them through even if the highways give way to dirt trails.

To keep up with the team and its experiences, you can follow them on http://2470ind.org/