MAM
JK Tyre shifts into top gear as Indian Racing Festival hits the North-East
MUMBAI: The sound of screeching tyres is about to echo through the hills as JK Tyre & Industries, India’s leading tyre manufacturer and motorsports trailblazer, flags off its “JK Tyre powered Indian Racing Festival, a carnival of Total Control” in the North-East. Scheduled from 12th to 22nd April, the adrenaline-fuelled tour will race across Kohima, Aizawl, Shillong, Guwahati, and Gangtok turning winding mountain roads into thrilling motorsport runways.
With more than four decades of racing legacy, JK Tyre is going full throttle to bring professional motorsport closer to the people. And in the North-East, a region that hums with cultural vibrancy and adventure, the fit couldn’t be more perfect.
Speaking about the upcoming tour, JK Tyre & Industries director for sales & marketing Srinivasu Allaphan said, “For JK Tyre, the North-East is not just a stronghold for our brand, but a region where our passion for adventure and performance truly resonates with the people. With this festival, we are deepening that engagement bringing adrenaline-driven experiences to the heart of the hills while also reinforcing our leadership in the market. We are especially grateful to the governments of the North-Eastern states for their unwavering support in helping us foster a thriving motorsport ecosystem in the region. The JK Tyre Powered Indian Racing Festival is a celebration of performance, innovation, and excitement values that define both our products and our long-term vision for this dynamic and culturally rich part of the country.”
Backed by the governments of the North-Eastern states, the tour aims to deepen JK Tyre’s emotional and commercial footprint in a region where the SUV segment and by extension, JK Tyre’s Levitas Ultra range rules the roads. The festival promises high-octane action with a thrilling lineup designed to get pulses racing. From International Formula 4 and Wolf cars roaring in straight from the Indian Racing Festival, to tyre-scorching drifting showcases in BMWs and Lexus machines, the adrenaline will be in full flow. Superbike stunt riders will defy gravity with jaw-dropping manoeuvres, while prodigious talents in Rotax Karting including nine-year-old speedsters will prove that age is no barrier to burning serious rubber on the track. Each city will play host to these dazzling displays of speed and skill, culminating in an experience that celebrates motorsport as lifestyle, entertainment, and aspiration.
This region isn’t new territory for JK Tyre. From its presence at Nagaland’s Hornbill Festival to the Orange Festival in Arunachal, the brand has long raced beyond the track nurturing grassroots talent, aligning with local culture, and steering community involvement.
And when the engines cool, the legacy still revs. JK Tyre’s influence has shaped the careers of motorsport giants like Narain Karthikeyan and Gaurav Gill, and its flagship JK Tyre National Racing Championship (JKNRC), now in its 28th year, remains the country’s most enduring racing event.
So, whether you’re a hardcore gearhead or a curious onlooker, this festival promises to be a pit stop like no other one where the scent of burning rubber blends with the mountain air, and the roar of engines harmonises with the rhythm of the hills.
MAM
Ad:tech honours 2026: Full list of winners announced
Expanded awards spotlight winners across 22 categories as industry doubles down on intelligent automation
NEW DELHI: Marketing’s tech elite took the spotlight as the ad:tech honours 2026 returned with a sharper focus on AI, data and immersive media, signalling how deeply technology now underpins brand strategy. Held at Yashobhoomi on March 17, the second edition drew industry leaders to celebrate innovation that is reshaping engagement and performance.
Presented with the International Advertising Association India chapter and new partner Huella, the awards expanded from 8 to 22 categories, tracking the rapid convergence of creativity, automation and analytics.
The winners’ list reads like a snapshot of marketing’s future. In affiliate and partner marketing, Lyxel & Flamingo – Boat and Paytm Ads – Giva took silver. Mobavenue Media Private Limited struck gold in AI-driven dynamic creative optimisation, alongside a silver for Laqshya Media Limited.
Creative AI collaboration saw Rediffusion Brand Solutions Private Limited win gold, with Saltinc Consulting Private Limited securing silver. Laqshya Media Limited continued its strong run, taking gold in AI conversation agents and adding multiple wins across categories, including silver in GenAI-led creative and both gold and silver in interactive DOOH campaigns for Tanishq and Tata Coffee.
Predictive AI honours went to Strong Metrics and Tyroo, both silver, while Orient Bell Limited picked up silver in immersive retail tech. In GenAI-led creative, Laqshya Media Limited, Salt – Kotak and Sumimoto each secured silver, reflecting the crowded race in generative creativity.
Publicis bagged silver in influencer management and gold in performance marketing, where it shared the stage with Arm Worldwide and The Trade Desk, both silver. Glad U Came Private Limited stood out with gold in influencer measurement and analytics.
Marketing automation saw CereOne Media Pvt. Ltd. and Globale Media win silver, while ADMOTT Private Limited claimed silver in OTT innovation.
Programmatic media categories highlighted the shift to advanced targeting and connected screens. Mobavenue Media Private Limited clinched gold in connected TV advertising, with Animmoov Digital Media Pvt Ltd – Asus and Lyxel and Flamingo taking silver. Cheggout Services Private Limited won silver in retail media advertising, while Paytm Ads – Versuni secured gold.
On social platforms, Vayner Media India took gold in community and UGC engagement, with Under 25 – Oppo winning silver. Segumento rounded off the list with silver in the innovation category.
Jaswant Singh, country managing director at ad:tech India, underscored the momentum, saying generative AI and data-driven decision-making are now central to marketing impact. Neena Dasgupta, IAA mancom member and chief executive and founder at The Salt Inc Consulting, added that the awards celebrate not just technology, but “the people, the creativity, and the relentless effort behind it.”
Backed by Comexposium Group, ad:tech New Delhi has long tracked digital disruption. Now, with the honours, it is rewarding those who are not just adapting to change but engineering it.
In an industry racing towards automation, the message from 2026 is unmistakable. The future of marketing will be written not just in ideas, but in algorithms.
