The Indian Navy, in association with TVS Motor Company, has set out on a ‘Fleet to Forts’ expedition with 25 riders on the Ronin, intending to cover 1,600km across Maharashtra over the next 14 days. The route covers ten historic forts associated with Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, founder of the Maratha Empire.
- The 25-member group consists of men and women of various ranks
- TVS will also provide additional technical, logistical and media support
‘Fleet to Forts’ expedition: Mission and Vision
An itinerary centred around the past and the future
The expedition was flagged off yesterday by Vice Admiral Rahul Vilas Gokhale (Chief of Staff for the Western Naval Command) and Vimal Sumbly (Head of Business, TVS Motor Company). The expedition will be led by Captain Shekhar Deshpande, with the 25-member group of both men and women consisting of Officers, Sailors, and Agniveers. With the expedition, the group aims to bring awareness about the career opportunities in the Indian Navy, with a special focus on the Agnipath scheme – the government’s short-term recruitment programme for personnel below Officer rank in the armed forces.
The expedition started from Kohli Stadium, Mumbai, with an aim to get back to the city by October 12. The route cuts through interior Maharashtra with the objective of exploring Maharashtra’s maritime history and legacy and to inspire the next generation to join the Indian Navy. Speaking at the event, Gokhale called on the riders to propagate the message to young Indians about serving the nation with pride.
Sumbly said in his address that the ethos of the expedition deeply resonates with that of the Ronin and that he’s honoured to continue working with the Indian Navy. The Ronin recently received a new Base+ variant, priced at Rs 1.42 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) in two new colours, Desert Beige and Sunlit Yellow. With it, there are now a total of four variants ranging between Rs 1.30 lakh and Rs 1.63 lakh. Besides providing the motorcycles for the event, TVS has also equipped the riders with riding gear and will continue to offer logistics, technical and media support for the expedition.