NAGALAND :
Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM), today proudly announced its association with the prestigious Hornbill Music Festival in Nagaland, India, for the second consecutive year through the title sponsorship. This most popular music festival is being held at the Naga Heritage Village, Kisama in the Kohima District of Nagaland from Dec 1st – 10th of 2023. TKM’s association with the Hornbill Music Festival reflects the company’s core social values, aligning with its vision to preserve and promote the unique and rich local culture and heritage, thereby forging a strong connection with the Nagaland community.
The Hornbill Festival, organised by the Department of State Tourism and the Department of Art & Culture, Government of Nagaland, presents a diverse array of cultural exhibitions under a single roof. It is a 10-day celebration of Nagaland's rich cultural heritage, showcasing the vibrant traditions of Naga tribes through music, dance, feasts, traditional archery, Naga wrestling, indigenous games, and other athletic sports. This year, the inaugural session of the festival was graced by Mrs. Geetanjali Kirloskar, Chairperson and Managing Director of Kirloskar Systems, Pvt. Ltd., Mr. Masakazu Yoshimura, Managing Director & CEO – TKM, along with other senior leadership from TKM - Mr. Tadashi Asazuma, Executive Vice President, Mr. Vikram Gulati, Country Head and Executive Vice President and Mr. Varinder Kumar Wadhwa, General Manager – Strategic Business Unit (East). The event also witnessed the presence of TKM’s valued business associates - Mr. Takayuki Ueda, Managing Director and CEO, Toyota Tsusho Insurance Broker India Pvt. Ltd. and Mr. Y Vikheho Swu, Managing Director of Okusa Toyota.
As a part of its active involvement, TKM has created a dynamic car pavilion at the Hornbill Music Festival venue, showcasing an array of its best-in-class vehicle models that includes Innova Crysta, Innova Hycross, Legender, Glanza, Urban Cruiser Hyryder, Rumion, Camry, Vellfire and the specially customized Hilux for Forest Patrolling.
TKM places special importance on the North-eastern region, striving to elevate its customer experiences. With 24 touchpoints already established, TKM is actively shaping the automotive landscape by offering top-notch products and services. The company is further committed to expand its dealer network in the region to cater to the ever-growing demand for its product offerings. Aligned with its strategy, TKM has set-up Regional Stockyard (RSY) in Guwahati, complemented by a Regional Parts Centre (RPC) as well an Area Office in the Northeast, reflecting its commitment to enrich Toyota’s ownership experiences through effective and efficient customer service in the Northeast.
Commenting about TKM’s association with the Hornbill Music Festival 2023, Mr. Varinder Kumar Wadhwa, General Manager – Strategic Business Unit (East) of Toyota Kirloskar Motor, said, “TKM’s association with the much-celebrated Hornbill Music Festival, for the second consecutive year, presents another exciting moment where we aim to promote the local culture and rich heritage of Nagaland that represents the north-eastern part of our incredible nation.
This dynamic platform allows us to engage with the local community, highlighting our commitment to both the automotive landscape and contribute to preserve the Northeast's unique cultural tapestry. TKM’s specially curated car pavilion, featuring varied models including the specially customized Hilux for Forest Patrolling, exemplifies our enthusiasm to showcase our diverse product offerings, aimed at providing ‘Mobility for All’ with awesome experiences.”
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Theja Meru, Chairman, Task Force for Music and Arts said, "The Hornbill Festival stands as a testament to Nagaland's cultural richness and diversity, and we are thrilled to have TKM’s consistent support for the second consecutive year. We are grateful for TKM's active involvement, particularly the creation of a captivating car pavilion that adds a dynamic touch to the festival's offerings. Together, we celebrate not only the cultural heritage of Nagaland but also the collaborative spirit that enhances the overall experience through this 10-day long celebration of music festival. We look forward to another successful edition of the Hornbill Music Festival, strengthened by the enduring partnership with Toyota Kirloskar Motor."
Furthermore, towards community development, TKM has implemented the Toyota Technical Education Program (T-TEP) in the Northeast, establishing 6 institutes across Nagaland, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, and Tripura. In this regard, the company has collaborated with the Automotive Skills Development Council (ASDC), offering T-TEP to enhance the technical skill sets of the youths in the rural areas of the northeast regions. In addition, the newly launched “STAR” (Scholarship Program for Technical Education and Recognition) under T-TEP further supports the deserving students from economically challenging backgrounds in pursuing technical education be it ITI or polytechnic courses, making them employable as well as shaping the future of automotive industry with industry-ready technicians. These uniquely designed training initiatives underscores the company’s commitment to youth skill development, fostering economic empowerment and sustainable growth across regions.
