News Headline
The ultimate desert challenge is back with its 2023 edition
Mumbai: The Ultimate Desert Challenge (UDC), one of India’s biggest motorsport competitions, is all geared to launch its X-Factor edition in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, from 18 to 20 August 2023. The flagship IP event of Maxperience, UDC celebrates its eight years of legacy with this edition.
Prominent brands have joined hands with UDC; Hero MotoCorp as the title sponsor, CEAT Tyres as the tyre partner and powered by Polaris. The event will also be joined by the Hero Motorsports Rally team, among other key guests.
Conducted in the Desert Endurance format, the three-day event will span a total distance of over 200 km in the sandy dunes of Rajasthan. While UDC invites riders from both amateur and professional ends of the spectrum, the difficulty level for the competition has been set to ‘hard’. Ensuring the safety of the participants and everyone else involved, the event is sanctioned by the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI), the primary governing body for motorsports in India.
Maxperience co-founder & CEO Arvind Balan said, “Having been a part of UDC in some capacity or other, since the very start, it is very much a passion project for me. Moreover, coming back for the first time after the pandemic, the team is all the more amped up for UDC 2023. For the first time, we have moved away from Bikaner, but the alluring city of Jaisalmer promises an even greater and more awe-inspiring experience. And we are excited to be sharing it with the participants, partners and everyone else”.
Hero MotoCorp Head – Rides & Community Rohit Jha said, “It is always a pleasure partnering up with UDC & Maxperience! The Ultimate Desert Challenge perfectly combines the power of offroad vehicles in a competition framework. We are also excited to be showcasing our adventure bike, Hero Xpulse 200 4V 2023 Edition, at the event”.
First held in 2014 by the Dune Adventure Sports Club, the Ultimate Desert Challenge is a high-endurance desert offroading competition that strives to give both experienced and aspiring offroaders an equal chance to win.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
