One of the most offbeat motorsports events in the city was flagged off on a Saturday evening recently as the EMSAA — Eastern Motor Sports Automobile Associates presents Calcutta By Night ’25, A TSD (Time Speed Distance) Event — Safe Night, Safe Drive got flagged off under the guidelines of the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India in association with Sister Nivedita Universtiy (SNU), a part of the Techno India Group, and Premier Group, and with The Telegraph as media partner.

This was a night car rally where participants had to reach specific time control points along the given route in specified times. Arriving both sooner or later earned competitors penalties. The winner was the team that had the fewest penalties. The competitors had to figure out the route from a map given to them.

The event was supported by 91.9 Friends FM as the radio partner, Royal Balaji Engineering, Tekno Moto, Topsel Toyota, and Veedol, with other partners being Woodlands Hospital, Royal Enfield, Shalimar’s Tastea Cup, Impakto, The HHI Bhubaneswar, and Craft Coffee.

The Ladies category team of Nilasha Das and Ipsita Das take on the hazards of night rallying

EMSAA - Eastern Motor Sports Automobile Associates president Deborshi Sadhan Bose (Billy) said: “Calcutta By Night was started by my father Partha Sadhan Bose, a legendary rallyist himself and a true lover of motorsports and also a collector and restorer of vintage cars. I have restarted the event since 2024 and I am committed to make it an annual event. Along with challenges for both driver and navigator, this event also promotes ‘Safe Drive, Safe Night’ with the focus of passing on the message that our City of Joy is a safe city. The motive of this event is also to focus on promoting motorsports in the Corporate and Social Club categories along with the traditional Expert, Amateur, Novice (first timer), Ladies and Couple categories. There was also a category for Sister Nivedita University this time.” Winners were also declared in the Overall category.

Added Billy Bose: “EMSAA remains committed to promoting motorsports in Bengal by breaking the belief that one needs totally modified cars... (and) that motorsports is always dangerous. We commit to give our next-door neighbours a chance to prove their capability as a driver or a navigator in the true spirit of motorsports. We strive to put back Bengal as the home of motorsports, what it used to be.”

The cars were flagged off from the SNU campus in New Town for the first leg from 7pm by senior officers and the CEO of SNU along with Shinjini Bose and other senior members of EMSAA. The cars reassembled at the same venue before the second leg that started around 10.30pm, and the last car returned at 2.30am. Quite an achievement was that 45 of the 46 cars that started finished the course.

The flag off at SNU

Billy Bose also said: “We are grateful to the Bidhannagar Police Department for their help, guidance and assistance; respected Krishna Chakraborty, the mayor of Bidhannagar; and all our sponsors and supporting clubs and organisations, especially Satyam Roy Chowdhury, chancellor, SNU, and MD, Techno India Group; Saurav Chatterjee of MSAEI, our technical partner; and Surendra Kumar Choraria, CMD, Premier India Bearings.

The prize distribution ceremony was held at SNU, New Town.