“High Five” for the women with a drive!

 It is that time of the year again! In fact it has gone bigger and better!! The fifth edition of the “Lavasa Women’s Drive” is here and is raring to go!! The biggest extravaganza in the country which sees hundreds of women participates in a rally with great enthusiasm. In fact “Lavasa Women’s Drive” which is the biggest all women’s car rally in the country (certified by Limca Book of Records) symbolizes today’s Indian woman- vivacious, energetic, confident, independent and most of all, with an affinity for social cause.
So what is new this year? Well, besides the exciting fun activities near the Lavasa lakeside promenade with dance, music and other fun filled activities, this year promises to be extra special, since it is the fifth year of the Women’s Drive! In ancient etymology, ‘Five’ represents harmony, balance, love and the unbeatable spirit of life. And in this 5^th year, we assure you a fine mix of these entire put together!!!
Like the previous years, cars will be flagged off from Mumbai as well as Pune. Organized in collaboration with the Times of India, in aid of Womans Cancer Initiative - Tata Memorial Hospital, a non-governmental, non-profit organization. Aimed at creating awareness about cancers that affect women, the drive has now become one of the most eagerly awaited events in the calendar.
The rally will be held simultaneously from Mumbai and Pune on Sunday, February 24, 2013 where hundreds of cars driven and navigated by women participants will reach Lavasa. This will be followed by a grand awards ceremony in presence of a number of celebrities in March 2013.
Ms. Anuradha Paraskar, Sr. Vice President - Marketing & Sales, Lavasa Corporation Limited, said, "Participation in Lavasa Women's Drive has increased manifold over the years and we realized that this event is not only just for fun but can be used as a platform to highlight bigger issues concerning women. We have seen that women from all walks of life participate in the annual event to create awareness about issues concerning women. 
'' We at Lavasa are confident that the drive will continue to showcase Indian women in their stride--a blend of confidence, spirit and obviously a concern for a social cause'.

Devika Bhojwani, Vice- President, Women’s Cancer Initiative -Tata Memorial Hospital, said, “It has been five years since we have been associated with the Lavasa Women’s Drive. It has been a fantastic journey and I am really proud to say that the Women’s Drive has really become a hallmark event. What makes us even happier is the fact that besides having fun, so many women come together to support the cause and help spread the message of the importance of early detection, which could save so many lives.”

Shaina NC, popular fashion designer and BJP Spokesperson attended the briefing session and unveiled a T Shirt designed by her for the participants of Lavasa Women’s Drive. On this occasion, Shaina said, “I am happy to be a part of Lavasa Women’s Drive and it’s a great way to celebrate the spirit of womanhood. Its overwhelming to see such a huge response for this initiative. Over the last 5 years, this drive has created awareness about women’s causes including cancer. It’s a great way to empower women. I wish all the participants a very happy drive on 24th February.”
Terence Lewis, popular choreographer attended the drive and stated, “We have always followed F1 race which is all about speed but here is a drive, which focuses on intelligently controlling speed and navigation techniques. Everybody is a winner in this drive and that’s what stands out for me. While F1 is a sport, Lavasa Women’s Drive is a philosophy. It is a sport which goes beyond the limits of a routine event and takes the opportunity to give out a strong message to the world.”
Speaking during a briefing organised for participants on Saturday, Dr Ashwini Budrukkar, oncologist from the Tata Memorial Hospital said that women should never ignore any symptoms of any type of cancer. “If they find even a small lump in their breast or even a fading symptom of cervical cancer, they should get it checked.”
While Dr Mukesh Gupta, gynecologist and infertility specialist applauded the cause for which the Lavasa Women’s Drive is organised, Dr Nita Nair (Surgical Oncologist, Tata Memorial Hospital) and Dr Sangeeta Pikale (Consulting Obstetrician and gynecologist) reiterated the fact that cervical cancer as well as breast cancer is easily preventable if cured early. “Regular mammography is a must for every woman who even for a moment feels that there is a lump in her breast. One in every 30 women is detected with breast cancer in urban India, while the ratio is one in every 60 in rural India. Ignoring any symptoms can be lethal. Women must remember that they are their own best doctors.”
Lavasa Women’s Drive has THRICE been acknowledged in the Limca Book of Records as the largest All Women’s Car Rally in India, has seen more than 5618 women drivers participating in the annual event, which till now has generated 2.6 million votes world-wide. The drive has mobilized more than Rs 40 lakhs towards the cause of cancer prevention through early detection.
At least 12 women are participating in the fifth edition of LWD, 10 for the fourth consecutive year and 27 are likely to complete a hat-trick for the annual event. The drive is such a hit amongst the women in Mumbai that numerous celebrities and motoring enthusiastic drive from Mumbai to Lavasa. Notable names include Roopa Ganguly, RJ Tarana, Nausheed Cyrusi, and Gul Panag.
More than 50 celebrities from all walks of life have lent their support to this cause. Over the years these included Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Vidya Balan, Anil Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Vivek Oberoi, Abhishekh Bachchan, Arjun Rampal, Mehr Jessia, Jackie Shroff, Adnan Sami, Maria Goretti, Mini Mathur, Shweta Tiwari, Neeta Lulla, Deepti Bhatnagar, Suchitra Pillai, Arjan Bajwa, MP Priya Dutt, Sameer Soni,Sushma Reddy, Akshay Kumar, Deepika Padukone, Mugdha Godse, Bhagyashree to name a few.

About Lavasa

Lavasa is free India’s planned hill city being developed by HCC (Hindustan Construction Company) where people can Live, Work, Learn and Play in harmony with nature. An inclusive city, based on the principles of New Urbanism, it is fast being developed over 23,000 acres of land. It is a three–hour drive from Mumbai and one–hour from Pune. Lavasa will host a complement of global leaders in hospitality, tourism, education, healthcare, business research and industry. The hill city provides contemporary yet timeless architectural designs, multiple options for housing like rental housing, apartments and villas. With state of the art infrastructure and amenities, it will enable people to live life in full.