FADA Chhattisgarh Wins BSIV Vehicle Registration in Chhattisgarh High Court

Dear Friends,

First of all, wishing all of you a Very Happy Holi! May the colours of this festival continue to paint our lives bright!

I am thrilled to announce that FADA successfully hosted the 18th edition of Vyapar, marking its second edition in Kolkata, the 'City of Joy.' Vyapar Bengal, themed Egiye Bangla - Bengal Surges Ahead, proved to be one of the most successful editions till date.

In the lead-up to the event, FADA West Bengal organized a town hall meeting with two-wheeler dealers across the state to address their concerns and provide updates on FADA's upcoming initiatives for their benefit. The session offered a valuable opportunity for dealers to engage with the central FADA team, including myself, Mr Pradeep Agarwal (Treasurer-FADA & Chairman, Two-Wheeler Vertical in FADA), Mr Saharsh Damani (CEO, FADA), and Mr Rohit Chowdhury (Chairperson, FADA West Bengal). Also present were Mr Aditya Kumar Moda (Zonal Head, East - FADA Two-Wheeler Vertical & Regional Director-Two-Wheeler, FADA West Bengal).

Friends, Vyapar Bengal had 19 speakers & 7 sessions with over 300 participants. The event featured several insightful sessions, including a session on: SME IPO; A panel discussion on Demystifying the New CMV Rules, 1989; Introduction of FADA's Two-Wheeler Vertical; A session on Mastering Profitability: Financial Management for Two-Wheeler Dealers; Keynote addresses; and a motivational session by Mr. Shiv Khera on the theme "Winners Don’t Do Different Things, They Do Things Differently."

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to our esteemed Chief Guest, Mr Snehasis Chakraborty, Hon'ble Cabinet Minister for Transport, Government of West Bengal, and our distinguished Special Guests: Mr Shrawan Kumar, Chief Commissioner, Customs & GST Department, Ministry of Finance, Government of India; and Hon'ble Jorasanko MLA, Mr Vivek Gupta.

I also extend my heartfelt thanks to our speakers for their invaluable contributions: Mr Avik Gupta, Sr. Manager, Primary Markets Relationships, National Stock Exchange; Mr Ajay Agarwal, Chairperson, FADA Delhi and Director, GO Auto Pvt Ltd; Mr Prakash Agarwal (FCA, LLB), Director, Business Bulls; Mr Satyendra Singh, Chief General Manager, State Bank of India, Kolkata Circle; Mr Niraj Rajmohan, Co-founder & CTO, Ultraviolette Automotive; Dr Saumitra Mohan, IAS, Secretary, Department of Transport, Government of West Bengal; Mr Avijit Bhowmick, Senior Director (IT), NIC, West Bengal; Mr Siddharth Bhandari, Director, Bhandari Automobiles Pvt Ltd; Mr Saharsh Damani, CEO, FADA; Mr Pradeep Agarwal, Treasurer FADA & Chairman, Two -Wheeler Vertical in FADA; Mr Hemal N Thakkar, Senior Practice Leader & Director, CRISIL Ltd; and Mr Shiv Khera, Author, Activist & Motivational Speaker. Their presence and insightful contributions have made this event a truly memorable experience.

I would also like to extend my sincere gratitude to our valued partners, without whom this grand event would not have been possible. A special thank you to our Platinum Partners: Rosmerta Technologies Ltd; Silver Partners: Celex Technologies Pvt Ltd, Magma General Insurance Ltd, and Ultraviolette Automotive; Bronze Partners: Akzo Nobel India, Axalta Coating Systems India Private Limited, Business Bull, Madhus Garage Equipment Pvt Ltd, and SBI General Insurance; our Official Banking Partner, DBS Bank India; Media Partner, Sanmarg; and Mobility Partner, Snap E Cabs. Their unwavering support and collaboration played a vital role in making this event a resounding success.

I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Mr Rohit Chowdhury, Chairperson of FADA West Bengal, along with the FADA West Bengal Regional Directors and senior members, for their tireless efforts in planning and executing the event seamlessly. I would also like to express my gratitude to the FADA Secretariat, led by Mr Saharsh Damani, for providing all the necessary mentoring as well as partnership support from the central team.

One of our major legal victories was in the case concerning the registration of BS4 vehicles. After five years of relentless efforts, FADA Chhattisgarh successfully won the case in the Chhattisgarh High Court, allowing the registration of BS4 vehicles that had been uploaded to the e-vahan site until March 31, 2020. This was a landmark decision for the industry.

At FADA, we remain committed to keeping the dealer community informed and equipped with the latest updates and technical knowledge for running businesses efficiently and profitably.

I, along with Mr. Saharsh Damani, CEO of FADA, and Mr. Dharma Teja, State Chairperson – FADA Karnataka, was recently invited by Ultraviolette, a new entrant in the electric two-wheeler segment, to Bengaluru for the unveiling of their latest EV scooter. We had the opportunity to deliver keynote addresses to the dealer community present at the event. Additionally, we recommended that the company adopt FADA’s Model Dealer Agreement to foster a healthier and more balanced OEM-dealer relationship, ultimately ensuring long-term business benefits for all stakeholders.

During the month, FADA released a new advisory, "Stranded Vehicles - Version 2.0," offering legal and procedural guidelines for dealerships on handling situations where customers refuse vehicle delivery despite multiple reminders. Additionally, FADA also hosted a Knowledge Series Webinar on the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, with Mr. Anand Shankar Jha, Advocate on Record, Supreme Court of India, conducting the session. I trust many of you have attended and benefited from it.

Recently, Mr Manish Raj Singhania, Chairman of FADA Academy & Research, along with Ms. Rashmi Kale, Chairperson of WiF, Mr Bharat M Sanghvi, Past President of FADA, and Mr Vikas Raj, Dean of FADA Academy, met with Mr Amrish R Patel, Chancellor of NMIMS, to explore collaborations to advance educational programs that support women entrepreneurs within the Women in FADA (WiF) vertical.

FADA Academy will soon conduct a seven-day in-campus training program on "Advanced Certificate Program in Automotive Operations & Future Technologies 2.0," in collaboration with IIT Delhi. FADA Academy is also working with IIT Delhi on a White Paper to upgrade dealerships in line with the Pollution Department’s requirements. The academy is also planning a Financial Prudence webinar in collaboration with the newly created Two Wheeler vertical for Two wheeler dealers.

The GenX Vertical, led by Chairman Mr Rishabh Sanghvi, recently completed a successful 3-day dealership visit to Popular Vehicles, Kochi. Eighteen GenX members participated in this initiative. Key highlights include:

• Interactions with Kuttukaran Polytechnic College and Institute of HRD to explore Popular’s learning and development initiatives
• A full-day visit to Popular's Corporate Office, engaging with functional heads across departments and reviewing operational metrics
• A half-day visit to Popular's 160-member Customer Relationship Centre
• A tour of Nippon Toyota, one of the largest Toyota dealerships in the country

The visit provided valuable insights into large-scale dealership operations, fostering discussions on business challenges, best practices, and future connections. I thank Rishabh for organizing this visit and Mr John K Paul, Past President of FADA, for sharing his insights on training and development with GenX members. Friends, please inspire the next generation to join FADA GenX and learn from the best in the business.

Our Women in FADA (WiF) vertical, led by Chairperson Ms Rashmi Kale, continues to grow through a series of in-person and online meetings and networking opportunities for women entrepreneurs across India.

WiF will also be conducting a study tour to Popular Services & Vehicles in Kochi, Kerala, on April 9th and 10th, 2025. I encourage all WiF members to register and seize the learning opportunities, as FADA GenX members have done. Earlier this month, Ms Rashmi Kale, Chairperson of WiF, along with Mr Sai Giridhar, Vice President of FADA, held a core committee meeting and finalized the study tour dates.

In Madhya Pradesh, Chairperson Mr Ashish Pande, along with Director WiF-MP, Ms Shweta Agarwal and Co-Director-WiF MP, Ms Anusha Kathed, held a virtual meeting with WiF members to update them on FADA and WiF activities. Following that, WiF Madhya Pradesh hosted an in-person meeting with 10 WiF members and 10 prospective members. FADA WiF Chairperson Ms Rashmi Kale graced the event.

In Chhattisgarh, WiF members participated in the RADA Auto Expo, where WiF-Chairperson Ms Rashmi Kale and Chhattisgarh WiF – Director, Ms Tawanpreet Kaur Bhasin addressed the gathering on the role of women in the auto retail business.

At the regional level, FADA Kerala, led by Chairperson Mr Manoj Kurup and Regional Director Mr Sumesh Sukumar, organized a Town Hall in Pathanamthitta. This event provided a platform for members to engage with leadership and discuss dealership challenges.

In Jammu & Kashmir, FADA Jammu Chapter, led by Chairperson Mr Sanjay Agarwal, resolved the long-pending issue of unauthorized vehicle sales. The Chief Minister's recent announcement of an additional 3% tax on vehicles purchased outside J&K highlights our continued efforts and advocacy.

In Maharashtra, under Mr Sachin Mahajan's leadership, FADA members successfully addressed several RTO-related issues, easing operations for dealers. Mr Amar Sheth and Mr Sachin Mahajan also attended the Bhoomi Poojan of the Transport Commissioner's office in Mumbai, marking the establishment of this office after 85 years. The ceremony was attended by Hon'ble Chief Minister Mr Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister, Transport Minister, and senior RTO officials.

FADA Gujarat, led by Chairperson Mr Pranav Shah and Mr Hitendra Nanavati, has successfully addressed regional taxation and policy issues, such as the significant reduction in RTO tax for electric vehicles in the state.

FADA West Bengal members, led by Chairperson Mr Rohit Chowdhury, met with the Additional Director of the Transport Directorate to discuss key issues related to revenue, tax, and registration, offering members the opportunity to present challenges directly to the authorities.

As we continue our efforts, FADA remains dedicated to supporting its members, advocating for the dealership community’s interests, and collaborating with stakeholders to ensure the growth and sustainability of the automobile retail sector. These key areas were discussed during the Executive Committee & the 317th Governing Council Meetings.

Thank you for your continued support and commitment to the Federation’s success.

Best Wishes!

CS Vigneshwar
President - FADA