Jury members
Aishwarya Pissay
Off-Road Motorcycle Racer
Aishwarya Pissay, born on August 14, 1995, is a trailblazing Indian motorcycle racer. She made history as the first Indian motorsports athlete to claim a world title. A force to be reckoned with, Aishwarya secured top honors at the FIM Bajas World Cup, clinching 1st place in the women's category and 2nd in the junior's category. Notably, she is the first Indian woman to secure seven FMSCI National titles, including six consecutive Indian National Rally Championship victories in two-wheelers from 2017. Starting with circuit racing and winning Honda and TVS one-make titles, Aishwarya transitioned to dominating cross-country rallies on a global scale.
Gul Panag
Actor & Automobile Enthusiast
Gul Panag effortlessly embraces a diverse array of roles—from acting and modeling to marathons, road trips, and serving on car and motorcycle award juries. A passionate advocate for animals, she seamlessly blends brand endorsements with her foray into politics. Gul is a versatile personality, adept at navigating various facets of her dynamic life.
Rayomand Banajee
Racer & Mentor
Rayomand Banajee, an accomplished figure in motorsports, has left an indelible mark on the racing landscape. With notable achievements, including championships in Formula Cars and Karting, he stands as a beacon of success. Renowned for representing and winning for India on the international stage in two distinct motorsport disciplines, Banajee is also actively shaping the future by mentoring the next generation of Indian racing talent.
Arun Mohan Nadar
Senior Editor- Two-Wheelers- Acko Drive
If it’s anything to do with two-wheels, you can’t keep Arun too far from it. With over a decade experience in auto journalism he currently leads the bike vertical at Acko Drive. Be it a humble commuter or a litre-class monster, he enjoys riding and reviewing them equally. An avid traveller, his favourite mode of transport is unsurprisingly a motorcycle! His other interests includes MotoGP, die cast collection and exploring new cuisines.
Siddharth Vinayak Patankar
Editor-in-Chief, Acko Drive, Chair, World Car Awards
Siddharth, a stalwart in auto journalism, boasts a rich 25-year career, notably at NDTV for almost two decades. From senior primetime news anchor to chief editor-Auto, he's donned various roles. A pioneer at NDTV, Siddharth conceptualised all auto-related content, including the annual car and bike Awards and the Auto Prime programming. As a driving force behind car&bike.com, he played a key role in making it the country's 2nd largest auto portal. Notably, Siddharth is the first Asian journalist appointed as Executive Director on the steering committee of the prestigious World Car Awards, later elevated to vice chairman in 2021. He is currently the Chairman at the World Car Awards.
Dr. V Sumantran
Industry Veteran
Venkat Sumantran, a distinguished Indian businessman, academic, and author, brings over three decades of expertise to the global auto and mobility industry. As Chairman of Celeris Technologies, he also serves on the boards of various organizations in automotive, electronics, and aviation. Notably, Sumantran played a pivotal role as one of the inventors of the Tata Nano 1 lakh car. In May 2022, he assumed the role of Chairman of the Board for InterGlobe Aviation Ltd. (IndiGo Airlines).
36/5, Hustlehub One East, Somasandrapalya, 27th Main Rd, Sector 2, HSR Layout, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560102.
Follow us
Copyright 2024 © ackodrive.com, All Rights Reserved.