Bengaluru-based Tijil Rao from Dark Don Racing capped a brilliant run to his entire season, sealing the drivers’ championship in the LGB Formula 4 category in the 27th edition of the JK Tyre FMSCI National Racing Championship recently. 
At a race on the Kari Motor Speedway, Tijil opened a massive lead even before the last round was held. This was despite Saran Vikram – a seasoned racer – of Momentum Racing surprising one and all by winning the first and second races at the sporting event.  
Rao took it easy as Vikram pushed hard with him and Mehul Agarwal not very far behind. While Vikram timed 21:24.212 minutes, Mehul Agarwal timed 21: 25.349 minutes and Rao timed 21: 25.545 minutes. 
Back behind the wheel for the next round, Vikram again won the LGB Formula 4 race lapping well ahead of the field at 28:12.441 minutes. The difference in timing from the morning round was because of an increase in laps from 15 to 20 in the last race. 
In second position, Dhruvh Goswami put up a time of 28:15.943 minutes and Bala Prasath, 28:17. 392 minutes.
In the overall LGB Formula 4 standings, Rao topped with 87 points. Second place went to Bala Prasath with 45 points. Mehul Agarwal was third with 44 points. Vikram clinched the fourth position with 43 points. 
In the thrilling Royal Enfield Continental GT Cup presented by JK Tyre race, Navaneeth Kumar from Pondicherry pushed as hard as he could to win the 10-lap race in 13:01.601 minutes. He was followed by Anish Shetty who clocked a race time of 13:02.411 minutes and Manvith Reddy who managed to clock a time of 13:02.503 minutes. 
Navaneeth sealed the championship for the first time. Behind him, an interesting fight for the second and third places was evident as Anish Shetty and Rohan R were tied at 36 points each. Rohan took the lead of the two as he had won two races in comparison to one by Anish. Rohan was declared overall second.
 

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

Haryana-headquartered Neolite ZKW Lightings, an automotive lighting manufacturer, has filed a Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP) with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) for an initial public offering (IPO).

The IPO comprises a fresh issue of equity shares worth up to INR 4 billion and an offer for sale (OFS) of INR 2 billion by existing shareholders, including Rajesh Jain, Neokraft Global Private and ZKW Group.

The company intends to allocate the net proceeds from the fresh issue to expansion and financial goals. This includes a new greenfield facility at an estimated investment of INR 1.5 billion in Kancheepuram, Tamil Nadu. An estimated INR 790 million towards plant, machinery and electronic expansion at current sites. Furthermore, INR 650 million towards repayment or prepayment of borrowings.

Founded in 1992, Neolite ZKW holds a 34.43 percent market share in India's commercial vehicle lighting segment for FY2025. The company maintains a strategic alliance with the ZKW Group, a subsidiary of LG Electronics.

The company operates three manufacturing units in Bahadurgarh and Pune, serving over 40 OEMs including Tata Motors, Stellantis and Daimler. Its portfolio includes 830 SKUs, with a focus on LED and electric vehicle (EV) lighting solutions.

For FY2025, the company reported INR 5.12 billion in revenue, of which exports contributed 55.08 percent share. The net profit for FY2025 came at INR 528.24 million, as against INR 155.85 million in FY2023. The order book as of 31^st October 2025, stands at INR 1.71 billion.

At present, the company exports to over 50 countries, including regions in North America and Western Europe, positioning it as a significant Indian exporter of automotive components.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

Officials from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and Vertis Infrastructure Trust have introduced Truck Mounted Attenuators (TMAs) to improve safety in highway work zones. The technology is designed to protect road workers and motorists in high-speed traffic environments.

Work zones currently represent high-risk areas on the Indian road network due to vehicle speeds and limited protective buffering. TMAs serve as a standard safety solution in the US and Europe and are now being scaled across Indian national highway projects.

A truck-mounted attenuator is an impact-absorbing crash cushion fitted to the rear of service vehicles. Its primary functions include:

• Energy Absorption: In a rear-end collision, the unit absorbs the kinetic energy of the impacting vehicle.
• Controlled Deceleration: The system brings the vehicle to a halt in a manner that reduces the risk of fatal injuries to occupants and workers.
• Track Record: Since initial testing on Indian roads in 2021, the technology has been credited with saving more than 100 lives.

The current rollout consists of 20 TMAs. Eight units were inaugurated during the launch event, which included a live demonstration and technical walkthrough. The remaining 12 units are scheduled for delivery within the next ten days.

Ankit Yadav, NHAI, said, “NHAI aims to move towards zero-fatality corridors across national highways. The adoption of technologies such as Truck Mounted Attenuators plays a critical role in improving work-zone safety and reducing avoidable loss of life.”

Dr. Zafar Khan, Joint Chief Executive Officer, Vertis Infrastructure Trust, said, “Our effort has always been to bring practical, globally proven safety solutions to Indian roads. Reaching the TMA stage is about protecting people working in some of the most vulnerable conditions on highways.”

The initiative forms part of a broader strategy to integrate safety technology into India's infrastructure growth, prioritising the reduction of accidents in active construction and maintenance zones.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

Maruti Suzuki India, the country’s largest passenger vehicle manufacturer, has completed its first Design Challenge, a competition involving more than 400 students from 70 design institutes. Participants were tasked with designing a compact car, focusing on mobility solutions for the Indian market.

Teams from the MIT Institute of Design (Pune), the Association of Designers of India at VIT (Vellore) and the Strate School of Design (Bengaluru) secured the top three positions. The winning teams received cash prizes and six-month internships with the Maruti Suzuki design department.

The competition consisted of four evaluation rounds. The initiative is intended to provide students with exposure to the automotive industry and professional design environments.

The top 3 teams were awarded internships to work alongside company designers on future models. The next 7 teams received gift vouchers and potential internship opportunities pending further assessment. The challenge included students from both Indian and global design institutions.

Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director & CEO, Maruti Suzuki India, said, “India is a land of immense talent and innovation, with creativity thriving across every field. At Maruti Suzuki, we were already engaging with young start-ups to find mobility solutions. With the Maruti Suzuki Design Challenge, we expanded our open innovation efforts to provide a suitable platform to young designers where they gain real-world industry experience in automobile design. As design plays a pivotal role in shaping customers’ decision-making, it is vital to engage with young minds who bring fresh perspectives and challenge conventional thinking. The Maruti Suzuki Design Challenge reflects our commitment to cultivate automotive design talent and co-create future-ready mobility solutions with young India.”

The project forms part of the company's ‘open innovation’ strategy, seeking to integrate external perspectives into its vehicle development process.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

Bengaluru-based electric vehicle maker Ola Electric has received a sanction order from the Ministry of Heavy Industries for incentives totalling INR 3.66 billion. The payment is granted under the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Automobile and Auto Components for FY2024-25.

The incentive relates to the Determined Sales Value for the period and will be disbursed through IFCI, the financial institution appointed by the government for the scheme.

The PLI-Auto Scheme is an initiative by the Government of India designed to increase domestic manufacturing and the adoption of advanced automotive technologies. Ola Electric’s eligibility for the claim is based on its vertical integration and localisation of electric vehicle (EV) components.

“The sanction of INR 3.66 billion under the PLI-Auto Scheme is a strong endorsement of Ola Electric’s manufacturing capabilities and our commitment to building world-class EV technology in India. This incentive recognises our sustained efforts in scaling domestic production, deepening localisation, and driving innovation across the electric mobility value chain. We remain committed to supporting the Government of India’s vision of making India a global hub for advanced automotive manufacturing and clean mobility,” said the company in a statement.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!