They’re young, dynamic and making all the right moves. They’re doing things differently. They’re innovators. They’re poised to make the future, for themselves and for their respective industries, very interesting. In a noisy, notification-filled world where it’s easy to get jaded and ignore everything, they’re getting noticed. And they’ve just gotten started.
What are we going on about? A group of young achievers who have earned their place in the Friends of Audi programme. There’s no contest, or form or application for it. Audi, to encourage young innovators, has this programme to find and work with people who are making waves in their respective fields. It is an initiative to work with people who are most likely to have significant influence on the future of their respective fields. But it’s not without its dose of fun. Audi brought a group of these innovative young people together at the Buddh International Circuit for a day on the track with a fleet of fantastic Audi cars. And what a fleet it was – Audi TT, Audi RS7, Audi RS6, Audi S5, Audi A6, Audi A4, Audi A3 and the Audi A3 Cabriolet – all in perfect tune to blow everyone’s minds.
Let’s find out a little bit about our young achievers and their track day.
Anahita Dhondy, Chef Manager, Sodabottleopenerwala
“Every conversation was ‘what is the next meal?’ in our house.” Anahita Dhondy comes from a home where food is passion. It turned out to be her calling too, when she discovered at the age of 10, that she was a really good baker. And she enjoyed it too. By 14, she realised becoming a chef was her calling. Food-focused education and work experience followed. It finally came to a head with Sodabottleopenerwala which became a huge hit and has now expanded to six locations. While Anahita thinks that what she does is an extension of her own personality, it was clearly something that made her stand out. Audi noticed, and invited her to this programme. “Fast cars and a kitchen are similar in so many ways. It’s a rush when you get 20 or 30 orders in one go. It’s the same rush that I get when I’m driving. It’s an experience that leaves you so energetic. It’s [Audi] is so comfortable and easy to drive. I’m enjoying myself. I definitely look forward to more track days.”
Bhumika Bhatia, Photographer
“I never wanted to become a photographer. But I was always interested in art. I used to paint first, then I started sketching; then I started writing. It’s been seven years that I’ve been doing this.” Audi saw the art in her photography and connected with her. “It’s been almost a year since I’ve been associated with the brand. It’s been a great experience. Now I am a car person because of Audi.” And what does she think of the track day? “Nice! This is my second time.”
